Merlot

Merlot is a red grape variety originally from the Bordeaux region of France, highly valued both for winemaking and for its culinary use in various recipes. This grape produces soft, fruity wines with moderate tannins, making them ideal for pairing with a wide range of dishes, especially red meats, poultry, and cheeses.

In cooking, Merlot is mainly used in the form of wine for cooking, providing intense and delicate flavors at the same time, enriching sauces, stews, and reductions. Its aromatic profile with notes of red fruits and a hint of spices helps to enhance the flavor of ingredients without overpowering them.

Regarding its properties, Merlot contains natural antioxidants, such as polyphenols, which are partially maintained during cooking, in addition to providing a moderate content of alcohol and acidity that helps break down proteins in meats, promoting their tenderness.

In the Hispanic American context, although the term Merlot is generally the most commonly used, it may also be known simply as Merlot wine or in more general contexts as red Merlot wine. There are no strict synonyms in Spanish because it is the proper name of the variety, but it is common to refer to it in the category of "red wine" when talking about cooking ingredients.