Red grape variety
Merlot
მერლო
Merlot is a red grape variety from France. In the National Wine Agency's 2025 vineyard cadastre it covers 81 ha on 70 plots, 72 ha of them in Kakheti.
- Wines in the catalogue
- 18
- Wineries
- 11
- Vineyards, ha · cadastre 2025
- 81
About the variety
Merlot is a red variety from Bordeaux; VIVC records its parents as Cabernet Franc and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes. In Georgia it is grown on a small scale, for varietal wines and for blends with other red grapes.
What it looks like
Bunch, berries and leaf
Wines
Wines from Merlot
Kondoli Vineyards SAMI
Telavi Wine Cellar
Kakheti
Region of Kakheti: a dry red wine from Saperavi and Merlot. Made using the European method, aged in oak barriques; 20 days of skin maceration. Alcohol 13%. According to the winery: 12 months of ageing in 225-litre barrels; a yield of 7 t/ha. Sources note dark berries, fresh grass and mint on the nose and full-bodied on the palate. Made at Telavi Wine Cellar.
Kondoli Vineyards Saperavi-Merlot
Telavi Wine Cellar
Kakheti
A dry red Georgian wine made from Saperavi and Merlot, region of Kakheti. The classic method, ageing in oak barriques, 13.5% alcohol. The winery states: 12 months of ageing in 225-litre barrels; 20 days of fermentation; a yield of 7 t/ha. As described by sources: on the nose, blackberry, cherry and floral; on the palate, long finish and silky. Produced by Telavi Wine Cellar.
Premium Collection, Saperavi-Merlot
Rtvelisi
Kakheti
Awarded silver at International Wine & Spirit Competition 2026. Region of Kakheti: a dry red wine from Saperavi and Merlot. Made using the European method, aged in oak barriques; alcohol 13%. Produced by Rtvelisi.
Estate Merlot Classic
Eclipse
Kakheti
Merlot from Kakheti: a dry red Georgian wine. Produced by Eclipse.
Kakhuri Lalisperi
Armunji
Kakheti
The qvevri method, ageing in qvevri, 13.5% alcohol. Aleksandrouli, Saperavi, Aladasturi, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Kakheti: a dry red Georgian wine. As described by sources: on the nose, black pepper, blackberry and cherry. Made at Armunji.
Merlot
Wine Is Love
Kartli
Merlot from Kartli: a dry red Georgian wine. Made using the European method; alcohol 12.5%. Sources note long finish and velvety on the palate. Made at Wine Is Love.
Merlot Oak
Eclipse
Kakheti
Region of Kakheti: a dry red wine from Merlot. Made using the European method, aged in oak barriques; alcohol 12.7%. Sources note blueberry, raspberry and strawberry on the nose. Produced by Eclipse.
Merlot Qvevri Oak Barrel
Terra Kisi
Kakheti
The qvevri method, ageing in qvevri, 14.5% alcohol. Region of Kakheti: a red wine from Merlot. As described by sources: on the nose, cherry, oak and strawberry. Made at Terra Kisi.
Merlot Reserve
Château Buera
Kakheti
Produced by Château Buera. A dry red Georgian wine made from Merlot, region of Kakheti. The classic method, ageing in oak barriques, 14% alcohol. As described by sources: on the nose, red berries.
Premium Red
Besini
Produced by Besini. A dry red Georgian wine made from Saperavi, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Red Koncho Oak Barrel
Koncho & Co
Kakheti
A dry red Georgian wine made from Aleksandrouli, Saperavi, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir, region of Kakheti. Made using the European method, aged in oak barriques; alcohol 13.5%. Sources note chocolate, oak and vanilla on the nose and velvety on the palate. Produced by Koncho & Co.
Saperavi Cabernet Franc Budeshuri Merlot
Terra Kisi
Kakheti
Budeshuri Saperavi, Saperavi, Cabernet Franc and Merlot from Kakheti: a dry red Georgian wine. Produced by Terra Kisi.
Saperavi Cabernet Franc Budeshuri Saperavi Merlot Qvevri
Terra Kisi
Kakheti
Region of Kakheti: a dry red wine from Budeshuri Saperavi, Saperavi, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Made using the traditional qvevri method, aged in a qvevri; alcohol 14.5%. Produced by Terra Kisi.
Merlot Qvevri
Palavani Winery
Kakheti
The qvevri method, ageing in qvevri, 12% alcohol. A dry red Georgian wine made from Merlot, region of Kakheti. Bronze at International Wine Challenge 2025. Produced by Palavani Winery.
Merlot Special
Palavani Winery
Kakheti
A dry red Georgian wine made from Merlot, region of Kakheti. Made using the European method, aged in oak barriques; alcohol 14%. Produced by Palavani Winery.
Saperavi Merlot Qvevri
Palavani Winery
Kakheti
Produced by Palavani Winery. A dry red Georgian wine made from Saperavi and Merlot, region of Kakheti. The qvevri method, ageing in qvevri, 12% alcohol.
Saperavi Merlot Special
Palavani Winery
Kakheti
A dry red Georgian wine made from Saperavi and Merlot, region of Kakheti. Made using the European method, aged in oak barriques; alcohol 14%. Produced by Palavani Winery.
Meri
Kakhelebi
A Georgian wine made from Merlot and Rkatsiteli. Made at Kakhelebi.
Where the data comes from
Sources for this page
Description
Facts from ampelographic sources and the country's official registers, in our own words.
Photos
Openly licensed photographs and photos from winery websites; the source of each frame:
- Bunch on the vine · photo: Silverije / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bunch · photo: Agne27 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bunch · photo: Agne27 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Leaf · photo: Geolina163 + 1971markus / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bunch on the vine · photo: Ursula Brühl, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof - 76833 Siebeldingen, GERMANY / VIVC, This photo can be reproduced
Origin
The variety's passport in the Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC).
Vineyard area
Vineyard cadastre 2025, National Wine Agency: plots registered under this variety; plots without an identified variety are not counted.
Wines
Our catalogue: the grape make-up comes from the winery's site or the label.
Found a mistake, a photo of a different variety, or know a better source? Tell us — we'll check and correct it.