The red grape variety originates from France. The name is probably derived from the French word for blackbird (merle), because these birds like to snack on the berries, which are very sweet when fully ripe. However, the name may also be an allusion to the black-blue colouring of the berries, similar to the bird. There are over 60 synonyms that testify to its worldwide distribution. The most important are Alicante Noir, Begney, Bigney, Bigney Rouge, Bini, Black Alicante, Blue Merlot, Bordò, Cabernet del Cleto, Crabutet, Crabutet Noir, Crabutet Noir Merlau, Hebigney, Higney, Médoc Noir, Merlau, Merlot Black, Merlot Blue, Merlot Crni, Merlot Nero, Merlot Noir, Merlott, Merlou, Picard, Pikard, Plant Médoc, Saint Macaire, Sémillon Rouge, Vidal and Vitraille.
Parentage
Despite seemingly suggestive synonyms or morphological similarities, it should not be confused with the Carmenère, Menoir or Saint-Macaire varieties. As Carmenère and Merlot vines are very similar in appearance, vines imported from overseas were very often planted in the vineyard in a mixed set. For this reason, the Carmenère variety was long mistaken in Chile for a variety of Merlot. Back in 1999, DNA analyses carried out by Dr Ferdinand Regner (Austria) identified Cabernet Franc (father) as the Merlot parent. However, it was not until ten years later, in 2009, that Jean-Michel Boursiquot identified the Magdeleine Noire des Charentes variety (mother) as the second parent.
Descendants
The Abouriou, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère and Cot (Malbec) varieties have at least one...
