What is the Difference Between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot? 

For a new wine connoisseur, who recently started his interest in the drink, to differentiate a wine Cabernet Sauvignon on one Merlot may seem like a difficult task, but it is not. At the beginning of learning about wine, or when we start to get interested in wine, there are many doubts, and this is one of the most common, believe me. You are not alone!

To differentiate a Carbernet Sauvignon wine from a Merlot, you will need a lot of attention and a little training. Exactly, maybe just reading this text you can not differentiate with such precision.

However, if you are willing to buy a bottle of Carbernet Sauvignon and another from Merlot, stop in front of the computer and read this article, I guarantee you will never go wrong which is which. Let's learn a little?

And the difference between Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon?

The basic difference between the Cabernet Sauvignon wine and the Merlot is in its concentration. Cabernet Sauvignon, popular in the Borodeaux region of France, has a strong tannic feature, that is to say, it leaves that "tongue-tied" sensation, similar to what we experience when we bite a still green guava. This is the tannin.

Cabernet Sauvignon tasting notes

When young, you may remember black fruits, such as cassis and red, such as strawberry and blackberry. It also has a strong tendency to remember spices, like pepper.

With passage through wood can remember tobacco and vanilla, smoked notes. And the more mature, more complex it gets, moving to wood scents. It has great persistence and usually stays in the mouth for a long time after being drunk.

Merlot Tasting Notes

Merlot is a slightly softer grape than Cabernet Sauvignon, and this is reflected in its tasting. When young, a Merlot wine is extremely fruity, reminiscent of red fruits such as cherries and raspberries. Let's understand better?

THE persistence of Merlot is slightly lower than that of Cabernet Sauvignon, meaning after drinking, it is less time in the mouth. The Merlot also withstands less guard time than Cabernet.

Comparison table between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

Let's see in a quick frame what are the most striking differences between the two grapes we are comparing, so you record more easily:

Cabernet Sauvignon also differs from Merlot by color

A young wine from Cabernet Sauvignon will have a more reddish color, ruby. While the Merlot, when young, tends to be more violaceous, that is, departing for purple. But what about Cabernet Sauvignon?

Cabernet Sauvignon when aged, becomes red brick, while Merlot, when aged, takes on the original color of Cabernet Sauvignon, a deep red, so the difficulty in differentiating the two at this stage.

Want to learn more about colors, what they mean, their stages, and how to differentiate wine by color? We made this infographic to help you.

I hope I have been able to elucidate some of your doubts with this text. My goal was to make your life easier, but you know how it is, I sit down to write and there is always history. But I think it is with little drops like these that you will perfect your learning in the wine world.

Was it doubt? Send an email! marcos@vemdauva.com.br or leave a comment below!

EXERCISE FOR FIXING THE LESSON

Let's see if you've absorbed the content of the post well. More than 7689 people have done the exercise. Do it too!