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+--- Thread: Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot (/thread-17018.html)
- slop - 12-26-1999
Whats the diference between the Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon????????????
- Jerry D Mead - 12-26-1999
Two different red grape varieties, though both come from the Bordeaux region of France.
Cabernet, generally speaking, has a firmer structure with more tannin and higher acidity. Flavors range from several types of berry through bitter-sweet chocolate and sometimes deep, black cherry.
Because of its firmer texture it tends to be longer-lived.
Merlot, in general terms, tends to be softer and more approachable at a younger age...has much softer tannins and develop to show its best, usually in 3-5 years.
The classic Merlot taste/smell is cherries, but rarely as dark and intense as if often found in Cabernet.
The above said...there are always exception...Soft Cabernets that drink well in their youth...and hard as nails Merlots that require two or three decades to soften