Wine Terroirs
By Camille Bernard, posted on 30 June 2025
The world’s fourth most planted grape variety, Merlot is also the most widely grown red varietal in France, where its footprint covers nearly 100,000 hectares. Prized for the roundness it instils in wine, both in blends and as a single varietal, it is nevertheless raising concerns. Could climate change and new industry issues jeopardise its future?
Although its precise origins are unknown, Merlot has been listed since 1789 in the Jardin du Luxembourg ampelography collection under the name ‘Bigney rouge’. An iconic grape variety in the Bordeaux wine region, where it primarily forms the backbone of the top Right Bank wines, it has also established a footing in other parts of South-West France across appellations spanning the stylistic spectrum. One of the reasons for this is that its supple, fruity style and its ability to mesh harmoniously with other varietals lend it some very persuasive arguments.
However, to paraphrase investor spiel, its past performance is no guarantee of future results given present-day challenges. Climate change, complete with its increases in temperature and extreme weather events, is calling into question its adaptability. An early-ripening variety that is prone to disease – particularly downy mildew and grey rot – it is problematic for the wineries that choose to grow it.
So how is Merlot now viewed by winegrowers in Bordeaux and South-West France? From Gironde through to the vineyards of Lot and Haute-Garonne, this report features testimonials by several properties on the future of the varietal darling of South-West France.
Géraldine Lefebvre-Lopez, the owner of Vignobles Lopez
Located South-East of Entre-deux-Mers, Géraldine Lefebvre-Lopez is the kind of winegrower who compels respect. At the head of the family-owned property since 2011, she never fails to impress for her dynamic mindset and unfailing drive, even when economic pressure within the wine industry constantly makes headline news. “In barely a year, we have pulled up 25 hectares of vines”, she admits. “Misfortune can be an opportunity in disguise because I want to take ownership of this family winery even more than before and inject new energy into it”.
Thirteen out of the 23 hectares are currently planted to Merlot, alongside Petit Verdot and Cabernet-Sauvignon. “There is a place for Merlot in all our wines where it invariably accounts for at least half the blend so that it can add its fruity touch”.
Lefebvre-Lopez is obviously only all too aware of the impact of global warming, however, on Merlot and explains that she “keeps the vine rows cool by using total ground cover and avoiding leaf thinning”. She admits, though, that in the property’s clay soils, “Merlot performs well”.
The Merl’O label recently joined the three-strong range of single varietal wines at Vignobles Lopez
In fact, the Merl’O label recently joined the property’s range of single varietals, adding to the existing Cabern’O and Petit Verd’O labels.
“The three-strong range of quaffing wines allows me to introduce consumers to the individual characters of each of the varieties and then gradually teach them that a blend of the three produces my other wines”. Concurrently with this, and even though exports long spearheaded the winery’s sales, Vignobles Lopez is refocusing on direct-to-consumer sales, particularly through exhibitions. “It is a marketing strategy that dovetails with our desire to engage directly with consumers”, explains Lefebvre-Lopez.
A major player in the Bordeaux wine region, Producta Vignobles is a co-operative production business founded in 1949. From the Médoc through to Monbazillac, it is the thread that binds together 18 co-operative wineries.
Although Merlot is not the only grape in its varietal line-up, it is a key component of many of its wines. In fact, for marketing and communications manager Marie Lapenu, “it is our core grape variety and even if it is sensitive to climate change and mildew pressure, we value it because it is an integral part of Bordeaux’s identity”.
Marie Lapenu, marketing and communications manager at Producta Vignobles
Aware of Merlot’s vulnerability to climate change and mildew, Lapenu also points to the need to bring forward harvest dates to protect its fruit characters and avoid aromas becoming too candied. In fact, this agility has paved the way for new single varietal labels, including Fraîcheur labelled under the Atlantique PGI. “This is a wine designed to be drunk chilled, between 10 and 12°C, with a very fruity style that has no tannin influence”. Conversely, the L’horizon bleu AOC Puisseguin Saint-Emilion label reveals a “much more structured and very rounded Merlot”. Together, they prove that in spite of its apparent vulnerability, Merlot continues to be a range staple with the ability to shoulder a very broad range of styles. One thing is for sure – Producta Vignobles has no intention of relinquishing the darling varietal of South-West France.
Set in the Cahors wine region, Château de Gaudou has belonged to the Durou family for several generations. At its helm since 2000, Fabrice Durou is a keen observer of changes afoot in the vineyards.
“Merlot became established in our region after the phylloxera crisis and has been recognised ever since VDQS – the forerunner to AOC Cahors – was introduced. It traditionally complements Malbec and Tannat, adding roundness and lifting alcohol levels”, explains Durou. Historically, the variety has bolstered the property’s Tradition label, and has featured alongside Malbec in its Grande Lignée since 1988.
Fabrice Durou est à la tête de l'exploitation familiale depuis 2000 © Alain Auzanneau
Nevertheless, due to climate change, Merlot’s vulnerability is being dialled up, with lower yields, the potential to over index on sugar content and increased sensitivity to mildew. In hot vintages, its alcohol content quickly surges, ironically pushing Merlot closer to the powerful Malbec, and jeopardising ultimate balance in the blends. “Tropicalisation of the climate in South-West France promotes the onset of mildew which directly affects the clusters. We are also seeing heat spikes which dry out the fruit. You therefore have to be constantly on your guard”, adds Durou.
For Merlot to continue to survive in Cahors, a number of solutions are emerging: going forward, vines will need to be planted on more clayey soils, blocks will have to be better irrigated and drought-resistant rootstocks will need to be chosen. Block selection, the aspect of the rows and bringing forward harvest dates will undoubtedly all become key mitigation tactics.
At Château de Gaudou, the Merlots are already fermented separately so that their aromatic profile can be carefully controlled before blending. It is a way of perfecting balance in the finished wines, whilst also adapting to new climate conditions.
At Château Eugénie, a passion for wine is handed down the generations
Just a few kilometres away, but still in the Cahors appellation area, Château Eugénie has for generations relied on input by the Couture family, who have lived in Albas since at least 1470. Its present-day owner, Jérôme Couture, illustrates Merlot’s longevity in the wine region: “In our vineyards, it accounts for 15% of the varietal range, which is higher than the local average. Our Merlots were planted by our parents and grandparents – some of them are 40 to 60 years old and produce top quality wines”.
Jérôme Couture has inherited a skill set passed down by his ancestors
On both the terraces lining the Lot valley and the limestone plateau, the old Merlot vines adapt to the variations in terroir. Couture insists on the purpose of fermenting vineyard blocks separately based on whether their soils are clay or limestone before proceeding with the final blends with Malbec. “The Merlots grown on clay or limestone soils can withstand time in barrels, whereas those from the lower terrace are lighter and are matured in tanks”.
The vineyards at Château Eugénie extend over terraces lining the Lot valley ®Lot Tourisme – C. Ory
At Château Eugénie, climate challenges – ranging from late frosts to heat waves and hail – are confronted with a clear vision. But Couture points out that neither Malbec, Tannat nor other grape varieties are any less exposed than Merlot: “No grape variety is really climate-proof. Hazardous weather is increasingly prevalent and forces us to make changes to the way we work”. Couture therefore aims for complementarity, keeping Merlot for roundness and accessibility whilst ensuring that Malbec – the appellation’s linchpin – remains the signature varietal. Some years are challenging but experience has shown that a variety of vineyard blocks and vine ages can help iron out climate shocks.
David Vigouroux in the family vineyards at Château Baudare
We now head for Fronton, in Haute-Garonne, where Négrette is still the king of grape varieties. At the family-run Château Baudare, which has been owned by the Vigouroux family since the 1960s, Merlot plays a unique role: “We are one of the few wineries that grows Merlot in Fronton. It is classified as a PGI because it is not part of appellation specifications, but we grow it to the same high standards as our Négrette vines”, explains David Vigouroux.
Merlot was originally planted to counterbalance the vulnerability of Négrette. Although Merlot can be prone to downy mildew and black rot, it is more effective in other ways: “In good years, its clusters are quite compact, forming a rosary, and are less exposed to grapevine moths. The leaves let more light through and so airflow is good and the vines can be tied up easier. Yields are good too”, says Vigouroux. Admittedly, Merlot is an early ripener, forcing him to harvest early, but it produces fruity, rounded, easy-drinking wines. At Château Baudare, Merlot certainly does not play second fiddle to other grape varieties, but is part of a holistic strategy where the focus is constantly on exploring all the possible terroir nuances in Fronton.
From Bordeaux to Cahors, Merlot continues to be a staple of the varietal range. It derives its strength from its flavour profile – its suppleness, roundness and fruitiness – and from its long-standing roots in the vineyards of South-West France. Climate change, though, is shaking up this balance. High temperatures are quickening the pace of ripening and raising alcohol content. Fungal diseases like downy mildew and grey rot are other issues that have to be dealt with. But despite these challenges, none of the producers we spoke to seems prepared to give up on Merlot. In Bordeaux, it continues to be a signature variety, whilst in the South-West, it offers a prime complement to more structured varieties like Malbec, Tannat and Négrette.
It remains to be seen whether twenty or thirty years down the line it will maintain its position as a varietal sovereign or be downgraded to the role of ‘spare’. There is one thing we can be sure of though – if one day Merlot is compelled to relinquish its throne, it will continue to be the darling varietal of South-West France.
Wine Terroirs
Wine Terroirs
Wine Terroirs