What is sweeter merlot or cabernet sauvignon

Merlot-based wines are often grown and produced in St. Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a small and thick grape.

This is why there is so much tannin in Cabernet, as the tannin is found in the skin itself. During production Cabernet Sauvignon goes through an oak aging process.

While not all grapes take to this process, it is perfect for producing a delicious Cabernet. Instead of making the wine too soft, this aging process gets the wine to the perfect level of acidity and bitterness, as well as adding additional flavors of its own.

Like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is also often aged in oak barrels , or with oak chips. During the production process Merlot grapes must be picked immediately after ripening or they will over-ripen and lose their acidity.

Where Cabernet is often made as a stand-alone wine, Merlot grapes are often blended in with others to lessen the tannin, as they have a much fruitier, lighter flavor. Not surprisingly, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are often blended together.

The fruitiness of the Merlot is used to combat the bitterness of the tannin that is often present in Cabernet wines. In general, Merlot is used to sweeten more bitter wines and Cabernet is used to add a drier flavor to wines that are too sweet. In general Cabernet Sauvignon has a bolder taste, where Merlot is softer; however, there are many bold Merlot wines as well. It all depends on where the grapes are grown.

Climate plays a big part in how these wines taste. For example, wine made from grapes grown in a cooler climate will have a drier, more earthy flavor with a higher presence of tannin, where a wine made from grapes grown in a warmer climate will have a much fruitier flavor with less tannin.

With all their similarities, one big difference comes in pairing Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot with food. The two wines, although made similarly in the same regions, have distinctly different flavors that cater to very different meal types.

Never do so with a delicate meal. Its rich flavor will overpower everything else on the table. Instead, pair a cab with heavier meals such as steak , duck, wild pheasant, buffalo, and other dishes high in protein. If you are looking for a seafood dish, less oily fish such as tuna, swordfish, and shark do pair well, but a lighter red may be a better choice.

Cabernet Sauvignon should be allowed to breathe for at least 30 minutes, though an hour is more ideal. The robust, complex flavor of Cabernet Sauvignon can accent the deep umami flavor of beef and heavily-seasoned meats and vegetables perfectly. Merlot is a very flexible wine, and this is one of the best reasons to serve it at your party.

The light attributes of Merlot make it very easy to drink, and allow it to be served in a variety of situations. The wine should be allowed to breathe for at least 20 minutes. Twenty percent of the wine is Merlot fruit harvested from the Napa Carneros region. After hand harvesting, the grapes were de-stemmed, then inoculated with Montrachet yeast. Fermentation ranged from ten to fourteen days. As touched upon above, Merlot is a very flexible wine.

It pairs well with lighter dishes, such as Italian dishes with sweet, tomato-based sauces, as well as chicken, and most varieties of whitefish. But now, with this guide you should be able to distinguish Cabernet Sauvignon Versus Merlot. See the entire vineyard through different….

The Cabernet Sauvignon begins a new era for Keenan as this is the first vintage with winemaker Nils Venge actively involved in the wine making process. Nils has aided Keenan in softening the big tannins of our mountain grown Cabernet, while retaining our rich character and full body. Our vintage shows deep raspberry fruit, layered with hints of mint, spice and tobacco; subtle oak flavors make the wine complete.

Our Hillside Estate Cabernet Sauvignon expresses the concentrated flavors and bouquet that are characteristic of our Spring Mountain vineyards. We are adding your Comments. I LOVE this article!!! I have a bottle of Cab Sauv that I've been saving cause I'm not sure how it will taste, and I want to make sure I'm drinking it in the right context.

My personal fave is Merlot! This chart is so helpful! Cabernet Sauvignon is my go-to for red wine, and it is great to know that California cab is a lot sweeter. I might like that even better! Are you sure you would like to report this comment? It will be flagged for our moderators to take action. Register Now! Forgot Password? Log In Forgot Password? Log In Register Now! Red Wine Sweetness Chart Discover what wines are sweet and which ones you might like! Login Register My Notes.

Red Wine Sweetness Chart We've organized this wine chart from dry to sweet. Sweet Red Wines Now that you know all about the flavors in dry red wine, we can talk about sweet red wines. Dessert Wine Recommendations The red wines above are perfect for enjoying on their own or with dinner. Wine Sweetness Wine sweetness is determined by whether there is any sugar in the finished wine.

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