From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
A red wine and the grape used to make it, named in the 12th century by Cistercian monks after merles, French for "blackbirds", which would feast on the seeds, because the grape ripens sooner than other varieties. Merlot is considered a close cousin to Cabernet Sauvignon, although it matures sooner and is lower in tannins.
