Not a lot of Merlot!
of course named
SOME of the world’s most popular wine comes from the ‘Merlot’ grape (available to grow in the UK). But when first grown commercially it was considered ‘secondary’, being good for blending, but not as a standalone wine. Its popularity grew, however, with ‘Merlot’ vineyards cropping up all over France’s wine-growing regions. But after the mid-1950s it all but ceased. First, a deep freeze hit France and the ‘Merlot’ suffered most. After replanting, many crops were destroyed through fungal rots. In 1970 the French government banned all new ‘Merlot’ plantings. However, the ban was lifted five years later, due to the surging worldwide popularity of ‘Merlot’. Therefore, most current ‘Merlot’ vines are just decades old, compared to the centuries of growth of some other grape varieties.