Merlot with a splash of Cab Sav here, and it shows a complex mix of black and red berry fruit flavours, balanced by some oak toast, vanilla and a hint of clove. The wine is soft and has great length, really overdelivering.

Origin: It’s believed that the first wines made were in the Medoc region, in the west of France. Mainly Grown In: France leads the way here, with Bordeaux the big one. Also California, South Australia, central and northern Italy, plus Argentina. Key Facts: No matter how mer-little you know about wine, chances are you’ve heard of Merlot (pronounced “Mer-low”). Merlot is like a Golden Retriever; dependable (it ripens reliably well), lovable (especially for its chocolatey and soft plummy flavours), and able to get along with pretty much everyone (a champion in some of the most prized blends on the planet). Merlot is so approachable and smooth that it is often described as tasting “velvety”. Not sure when you last licked some velvet, but we did, and the Merlot definitely tasted much better than velvet. However, velvety is a fair way to describe the soft cushion-like comfort of how Merlot rolls across the palate — yum! Fun Fact: After a rough start to the century, thanks to the infamy of a movie called Sideways, Merlot is now the most popular red wine in the USA!