Merlot 101

Is there a difference between dry red wine and Merlot? (for a recipe)?

We have a box or Merlot wine.... and I am making a recipe that calls for dry red wine? Would it come out any different? I am totally confused because I don't drink wine, my parents do.

Public Comments

1. Merlot is not really considered very dry. But I'd think you'd be fine to use it in your recipe.
2. Red wine is made from red grapes. Merlot is a grape variety that definitely falls under the category of dry red wine.
3. That wine, if your recipe calls for a dry red, would be just fine to cook with. But to answer your question, virtually all red wines are "dry" in nature due to red grape skins coming into contact with the liquid produced in the fermentation process. With white wines, they usually do not let the grape skins do that. When they do, this produces tannins in wine, which is the taste quality that makes wine "dry" in the mouth and sometimes, if highly tannic, like a Nebbiolo, it can almost take your breath away.