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Grape Variety: Merlot

Variety Name Merlot
TTB Approved Name(s) Merlot
All Synonyms Alicante, Bigney, Bigney rouge, Bordeleze Belcha, Crabutet, Crabutet noir, Medoc noir, Merlau, Merlau rouge, Merle Petite, Merlo, Merlot noir, Odzalesi, Plant du Medoc, Plant Medoc, Seme de la Canau, Seme dou Flube, Semilhoun rouge, Semillon rouge, Vitraille
Countries of Origin France
Species Vitis vinifera
Pedigree Magdeleine Noire des Charentes (a previously unknown variety) x Cabernet Franc (see reference 57)
References
Berry Color Black
Uses Wine

Merlot PhotosClick photo to enlarge

                               

Merlot Selections

Information about:          Selection Numbers     |     Registration Status
  Merlot 343 EV (proprietary)
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Authorized French clone 343 from ENTAV-INRA in France
Treatments None
Proprietary Proprietary- cannot be distributed without written permission from owner: ENTAV-ITV
Patented / Proprietary Proprietary
Comments This selection came to Foundation Plant Services in 2009 from France via the Missouri Grape Importation & Certification Program at Missouri State University in Mountain Grove, Missouri. It is the authorized French clone 343 from ENTAV-INRA. Plant material may be obtained in the United States from official ENTAV-INRA licensees.

  Merlot 01
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source California vineyard (Inglenook)
Treatments None
Comments This selection came to Foundation Plant Services at UC Davis around 1960 from the Inglenook vineyard in Napa. The original material for this selection did not undergo heat treatment at FPS and was first planted in the foundation vineyard in 1961. A second selection (Merlot 03) also came to FPS from a different source vine at Inglenook but underwent heat treatment for 64 days. Merlot 01 underwent microshoot tip tissue culture therapy at FPS in 2006. That treated material successfully completed testing to qualify it for planting in the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard, where it was planted in 2012 as Merlot 01.1.

  Merlot 03
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source California vineyard (Inglenook)
Treatments Heat treatment 64 days
Comments This selection came to Foundation Plant Services at UC Davis around 1960 from the Inglenook vineyard in Napa. The original material for this selection underwent heat treatment for 64 days at FPS and was first planted in the foundation vineyard in 1965. A second selection (Merlot 01) also came to FPS from a different source vine at Inglenook but did not undergo heat treatment. Merlot 03 underwent microshoot tip tissue culture therapy at FPS in 2011 to qualify for planting in the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard. The treated material successfully completed testing in 2013 and will be planted at Russell Ranch as Merlot 03.1.

  Merlot 06
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source California vineyard (Monte Rosso)
Treatments Heat treatment 102 days
  Merlot 08 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Mendoza, Argentina
Treatments Heat treatment 62 days; Heat treatment 62-1 days /nurse bud onto LN33
Comments This selection was imported to Davis in 1973 from Expt. Agropecuria in Mendoza, Argentina (USDA-ARS Plant Identification number 379557). The original material underwent heat treatment twice at Foundation Plant Services for periods of 62 days each time. After basic index testing, the selection was planted in the FPS foundation vineyard in 1976 as Merlot 08. Merlot 08 underwent microshoot tip tissue culture therapy in 2011 to qualify for the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard. The treated material successfully completed testing in 2013 and will be planted at Russell Ranch as Merlot 08.1.

  Merlot 09 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Rauscedo 3, Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo, Italy
Treatments None
  Merlot 10 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source ISV-V-F-2, Istituto Sperimentale per la Viticoltura, Conegliano, Italy
Treatments None
Comments This selection came to Foundation Plant Services in 1988 from the Istituto Sperimentale per la Viticoltura in Conegliano, Italy, as part of the Winegrowers' Project. The material is Merlot clone ISV-V-F-2. The original material successfully completed testing and was planted in the FPS Classic Foundation Vineyard in 1990 as Merlot 10. For a tissue culture version of this selection, please see Merlot FPS 10.1.

  Merlot 11 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source ISV-V-F-5, Istituto Sperimentale per la Viticoltura, Conegliano, Italy
Treatments None , Tissue Culture Excision
Comments This selection came to Foundation Plant Services in 1988 from the Istituto Sperimentale per la Viticoltura in Conegliano, Italy, as part of the Winegrowers' Project. The material is Merlot clone ISV-V-F-5. The original material successfully completed testing and was planted in the FPS Classic Foundation Vineyard in 1990 as Merlot 11. For a tissue culture version of this selection, please see Merlot FPS 11.1.

  Merlot 12 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source ISV-V-F-6, Istituto Sperimentale per la Viticoltura, Conegliano, Italy
Treatments None
Comments This selection came to Foundation Plant Services in 1988 from the Istituto Sperimentale per la Viticoltura in Conegliano, Italy, as part of the Winegrowers' Project. The material is Merlot clone ISV-V-F-6. The original material successfully completed testing and was planted in the FPS Classic Foundation Vineyard in 1990 as Merlot 12. For a tissue culture version of this selection, please see Merlot FPS 12.1.

  Merlot 15 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Reported to be clone 181 from France
Treatments None
Comments Merlot 15 came to Foundation Plant Services on March 9, 1989, from the Chambre d'Agriculture de la Gironde in France with the name 'Merlot noir'. The plant material is reportedly French clone 181. The importation preceded the official trademark program for French clones, so the clonal identity as clone 181 cannot be guaranteed. This clone was added to the FPS collection as part of the Winegrowers' Project, although it came directly to FPS, rather than through Oregon State University. The plant material for this selection was known by several names at FPS during testing and upon release from quarantine - including Merlot noir S3, Merlot noir 02, Merlot S13 and Merlot 15. After successful completion of testing for the California Grapevine Registration & Certification Program, Merlot 15 first appeared on the list of registered vines in 1997. Merlot 15 has qualified for planting in the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard (see Merlot 15.1).

  Merlot 18 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Heritage Bear Flat clone, from Sterling Vineyard, Napa
Treatments None
Comments This selection was donated to the Foundation Plant Services public collection in 1996 by Sterling Vineyards from their Bear Flat vineyard. The original material successfully completed testing to qualify for the FPS foundation vineyard in 1998.

  Merlot 20 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Protocol 2010 Qualifies for Protocol 2010.
Source Reported to be clone 348 from France
Treatments Microshoot tip tissue culture
Comments This selection was imported to Foundation Plant Services in 1995 from France as a proprietary selection. It is reportedly French clone 348. The importation preceded the official French trademark program, which is the only guarantee of the authenticity of French clonal material. Consequently, a generic designation ('reported to be') is used for reporting clonal identity here. The original material for this selection was known originally at FPS as Merlot 17, which underwent microshoot tip tissue culture disease elimination therapy and was renamed Merlot 20. Merlot 20 was planted in the FPS Classic Foundation Vineyard in 2000 after successful completion of testing for the California Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. The proprietary status for this selection expired in 2002.

  Merlot 21 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source ISV-V-F-4, Istituto Sperimentale per la Viticoltura, Conegliano, Italy
Treatments Micro shoot tip tissue culture
  Merlot 22 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Reported to be clone 348 from France
Treatments Micro shoot tip tissue culture
Comments Original FPS name was Merlot noir

  Merlot 23 (proprietary) Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source VCR 1, Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo, Italy
Treatments None
Proprietary Proprietary- cannot be distributed without written permission from owner.
Patented / Proprietary Proprietary
Comments Merlot 23 came to Foundation Plant Services in 1999 from Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo in Italy. The proprietary clone is Merlot VCR 1. Merlot 23 successfully completed testing to qualify for the California Grapevine Registration & Certification Program in 2002. See also, Merlot 23.1.

  Merlot 24 (proprietary) Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source VCR 101, Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo, Italy
Treatments None
Proprietary Proprietary- cannot be distributed without written permission from owner.
Patented / Proprietary Proprietary
Comments This selection came to Foundation Plant Services in 2000 from Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo in Italy. The clone is Merlot VCR 101. Merlot 24 successfully completed testing to qualify for the Califiornia Grapevine Registration & Certification Program in 2002. See also Merlot 24.1.

  Merlot 25 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Sonoma County vineyard
Treatments None
Comments This selection came to Foundation Plant Services in 2000 from a vineyard in Sonoma County. It is reported to be French clone 314. The original material successfully completed testing for the California Grapevine Registration & Certification Program and was planted in the FPS Classic Foundation Vineyard in 2002.

  Merlot 26 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Protocol 2010 Qualifies for Protocol 2010.
Source Reported to be clone 343 from France
Treatments Microshoot tip tissue culture
Comments This selection was imported to Foundation Plant Services in 1995 from France as a proprietary selection. It is reportedly French clone 343. The importation preceded the official French trademark program, which is the only guarantee of the authenticity of French clonal material. Consequently, a generic designation ('reported to be') is used for reporting clonal identity. This material was known originally at FPS as Merlot 19, which was planted in the foundation vineyard. Merlot 19 underwent microshoot tip tissue culture disease elimination therapy in 1996 and was renamed Merlot 26. Merlot 26 successfully completed testing for the California Grapevine Registration & Certification Program and was planted in the FPS Classic Foundation Vineyard in 2003. Merlot 26 has been donated to the FPS public collection.

  Merlot 27 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Napa County, California
Treatments None
Comments This selection was donated to the Foundation Plant Services public collection in 2002 by Larry Hyde, a well-respected grape grower in Napa County, California. He indicates that the original source of this selection was the Niebaum Vineyards in Napa.

  Merlot 28 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source France
Treatments None
Comments This selection is one of the Vincent series (Vincent series #2), which was donated to the Foundation Plant Services public collection in 2004 by an anonymous donor near Bordeaux, France.

  Merlot 29 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source France
Treatments None
Comments This selection is in the Vincent series (Vincent series #4), which was donated to the Foundation Plant Services public collection in 2004 by an anonymous donor near Bordeaux, France.

  Merlot 30 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Bordeaux, France
Treatments None
Comments The Vincent series came to Foundation Plant Services in 2004 from an anonymous and well-respected producer of French wine near Bordeaux, France. This selection is Vincent #3 from that French vineyard.

  Merlot 31 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Jorge Böhm, Viveiros Plansel S.A., Portugal
Treatments None, RSP+
Comments This selection was donated to the Foundation Plant Services public collection in 2007 by Jorge Böhm, Viveiros Plansel S.A., Portugal. Merlot 31 successfully completed testing to qualify for the California Grapevine Registration & Certification Program in 2009.

  Merlot 32 Top
Registration Status Provisional Provisional Status is an important term used in the regulations of the California Department of Food & Agriculture's Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Grapevine selections with Provisional Status have successfully completed all required disease testing, but have not been confirmed as true to variety. Propagation material from Provisional selections qualifies for release subject to the understanding on the part of the customer that the identity has yet to be confirmed.
Source France
Treatments None , Tissue Culture Excision
Comments This selection came to Foundation Plant Services in 2004 from an anonymous and well-respected producer of French wine near Bordeaux, France. This selection is Vincent #1 in the Merlot series from that French vineyard. After successful completion of testing for the California Grapevine Registration & Certification Program, the material was planted in the Classic Foundation Vineyard in 2009 as Merlot 32. Merlot 32 has qualified for planting in the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard (see Merlot 32.1).

  Merlot 35 Top
Registration Status Provisional Provisional Status is an important term used in the regulations of the California Department of Food & Agriculture's Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Grapevine selections with Provisional Status have successfully completed all required disease testing, but have not been confirmed as true to variety. Propagation material from Provisional selections qualifies for release subject to the understanding on the part of the customer that the identity has yet to be confirmed.
Treatments Tissue Culture Excision
  Merlot 37 Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Northern Italy via vineyard at Rutgers University
Treatments None
Comments This selection came to Foundation Plant Services in 2012 from Dr. Dan Ward, Viticulture Extension Specialist, Rutgers University in New Jersey. This Merlot material arrived in the United States with the name 'Merlot 88 BM'. The book Vitigni d'Italia shows that one of the Italian Merlot clones is 'BM-8B', which originated in Brescia. It seems likely that the '88 BM' on the original material was probably mistranscribed from 'BM-8B'. The plant material for this selection has been grown in the vineyard at the Agriculture, Research and Extension Center at Rutgers since the early 1990's. The original material was imported to Rutgers in the early 1990's from Trentino Alto-Adige, in northern Italy, and came into the United States through the quarantine program at Geneva, New York. It is believed that this clone might be more cold tolerant than other clones of this cultivar. The original material successfully completed testing to qualify for the FPS Classic Foundation Vineyard in 2015.

  Merlot 40 Top
Treatments Tissue Culture Excision
  Merlot 40.1 Top
Registration Status Provisional Provisional Status is an important term used in the regulations of the California Department of Food & Agriculture's Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Grapevine selections with Provisional Status have successfully completed all required disease testing, but have not been confirmed as true to variety. Propagation material from Provisional selections qualifies for release subject to the understanding on the part of the customer that the identity has yet to be confirmed.
Treatments Tissue Culture Excision
  Merlot 181 (proprietary) Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Merlot ENTAV-INRA ® 181 authorized clone from ENTAV in France
Treatments None
Proprietary Proprietary- cannot be distributed without written permission from owner: ENTAV-ITV
Patented / Proprietary Proprietary
Comments This selection came to Foundation Plant Services in 1997 from France. It is the official French clone 181, which is authenticated via the ENTAV-INRA French trademark program. Merlot ENTAV-INRA® 181 was planted in the FPS Classic Foundation Vineyard in 1999 after successful completion of testing for the California Grapevine Registration & Certification Program.

  Merlot 314 (proprietary) Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Merlot ENTAV-INRA ® 314 authorized clone from ENTAV in France
Treatments None
Proprietary Proprietary- cannot be distributed without written permission from owner: ENTAV-ITV
Patented / Proprietary Proprietary
Comments Distributed by ENTAV-INRA licensees

  Merlot 314.1 (proprietary) Top
Registration Status Provisional Provisional Status is an important term used in the regulations of the California Department of Food & Agriculture's Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Grapevine selections with Provisional Status have successfully completed all required disease testing, but have not been confirmed as true to variety. Propagation material from Provisional selections qualifies for release subject to the understanding on the part of the customer that the identity has yet to be confirmed.
Protocol 2010 Qualifies for Protocol 2010.
Treatments Tissue Culture Excision
Proprietary Proprietary- cannot be distributed without written permission from owner: ENTAV-ITV
Patented / Proprietary Proprietary
  Merlot 346 (proprietary) Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Merlot ENTAV-INRA ® 346
Treatments None
Proprietary Proprietary- cannot be distributed without written permission from owner: ENTAV-ITV
Patented / Proprietary Proprietary
Comments This selection was imported to the United States in 1997 from France by ENTAV-INRA, which manages the trademarked French clonal material. The selection is official French clone 346. The clone originated from the Gironde region in Bordeaux and was previously known as INRA-Bx 2432. It was certified in 1975 and became known as Merlot 346. Merlot 346 qualified for the FPS Classic Foundation Vineyard in 1999.

  Merlot 348 (proprietary) Top
Registration Status Registered Registered is the ultimate status in the California Department of Food & Agricultures Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Registered selections have successfully completed all disease testing required by the regulations. Registered selections have also been confirmed as true to variety by experts using visual observations, DNA-based testing or both.
Source Merlot ENTAV-INRA ® 348 authorized clone from ENTAV in France
Treatments None
Proprietary Proprietary- cannot be distributed without written permission from owner: ENTAV-ITV
Patented / Proprietary Proprietary
Comments Distributed by ENTAV-INRA licensees

  Merlot 348.1 (proprietary) Top
Registration Status Provisional Provisional Status is an important term used in the regulations of the California Department of Food & Agriculture's Grapevine Registration & Certification Program. Grapevine selections with Provisional Status have successfully completed all required disease testing, but have not been confirmed as true to variety. Propagation material from Provisional selections qualifies for release subject to the understanding on the part of the customer that the identity has yet to be confirmed.
Protocol 2010 Qualifies for Protocol 2010.
Treatments Tissue Culture Excision
Proprietary Proprietary- cannot be distributed without written permission from owner: ENTAV-ITV
Patented / Proprietary Proprietary