As you choose the best wine to buy for your next dinner party, or to take as a hosting gift, you might wonder what the difference is between Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Fortunately, the informed and helpful staff in conjunction with the inventory here at Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits can help you make the right choices.
We provide free delivery for all online purchases, to any address on Grand Cayman. If you’d rather shop in-person, we make that convenient as well, providing seven different locations across the island. At each location, we provide a full inventory with all of the most popular beer, wine, and liquor options along with carefully chosen options from around the world.
Merlot versus Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot Features:
- Notes of plum, black cherry, and chocolate
- Lower tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon
- Lower acidity levels than Cabernet Sauvignon
- Doesn’t require extensive aging for flavor
- Smooth drinker
- Dry
Cabernet Sauvignon Features:
- Notes of tobacco, pepper, and currant fruit
- Fuller body
- Higher tannin level
- Taste improves with age
- Dry, but with more fruit flavors
These features are generally true, but the region where the vineyards are found has a substantial effect on the flavors – in some cases, these differences might make a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon difficult to distinguish.
The two are so complementary that you’ll find them blended into a bottle all its own. One example of this delicious red blend is the Chateau le Gardera, composed of 60% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot.
The Vergelegen Cabernet/Merlot is another fantastic blend from South Africa, made up of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot.
A few Cabernet Sauvignons for your consideration:
- Pied À Terre Love On Mars Cabernet Sauvignon
- 19 Crimes Cabernet Sauvignon
- Rickety Bridge ‘The Bridge’ Cabernet Sauvignon
Or Merlot options:
- Dark Horse Merlot
- Stellenbosch Reserve Merlot
- Yellow Tail Merlot
Make the Choice for Food Pairings – Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot?
When deciding which wine to choose for your next dinner party, the best guidance is to mirror the food with the beverage.
Merlot isn’t an overpowering wine, so it pairs well with various dishes. In particular, tomato sauces welcome the smoothness of Merlot, so Italian dishes, pizza, braised meat, and meatloaf are appropriate choices. Other great dishes to choose include mac and cheese, cheeseburgers, braised ribs, spicy jambalaya, and more!
Cabernet Sauvignon’s fruit-forward flavors are enhanced by salty and fatty dishes like grilled proteins, beef, lamb, game bird, roast turkey or chicken, and other dishes with spice and savory sauce. Choose a food that won’t overcome the wine’s flavor but add to it.
If you’re looking for the right place to buy your Cab or Merlot, come to Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits, online or in-person. We offer a diverse inventory along with free delivery to any address on Grand Cayman with online orders.
Physical locations of Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits
- Jacques Scott Harbour Walk, Edgewater Way, +1 (345) 946-8045
- Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits, Frank Sound, +1 (345) 949-5397
- Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits, West Bay, +1 (345) 946-8259
- Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits, East End, +1 (345) 946-5686
- Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits Wine Cellar Retail, Seven Mile Beach, +1 (345) 945-5260
- Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits Fine Wine Retail Store, George Town, +1 (345) 949-0277
- Countryside Shopping Centre, Savannah, +1 (345) 947-1536
Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are two remarkable wine choices and learning what the difference between the two is can be a skill that is awfully fun to learn! Shop with Jacques Scott Wines & Spirits for exceptional choices and guidance.
