Franceβs Bordeaux wine region has given us both Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the time-honoured, leading varietals that are combined to give us a blend of expressive fruity roundness and dark red colour known as Cabernet Merlot. New Zealand winemakers have been plying their craft to this blend for 150 years, achieving a highly approachable combination of power and elegance by harnessing Merlotβs ripe fullness and Cabernet Sauvignonβs intricacies of structure.