It’s the age-old question, what is Merlot best served with and when should it be consumed?
What With? Merlot is renowned for being a well-balanced, medium-bodied wine that does not have any complex characteristics, such as chewy tannins or high acids which might clash with many recipes.
Merlot is an ideal wine if you are dining out as a group and different dishes may be chosen from the menu.
As a rule of thumb, Ballimore Merlot is best matched with roast poultry, steak and game. It is also great with slightly sweet meats, such as duck and ham and with medium cheeses. Equally, it is a fine wine to enjoy on its own, due to its soft and pleasing disposition.
Our Sparkling Merlot, Ballimore Summer is a great party wine or aperitif, to be enjoyed with canapés and 
finger food or just on its own as a refreshing beverage. It is a perfect celebratory wine, particularly with roast turkey at Christmas time!
Its creamy after-taste also combines very well with cake.
When? Unlike some other red varieties with the need to cellar the product for many years to allow the fruit to develop in the bottle, Ballimore Merlot is a medium-bodied wine which will be ready to drink on purchase. However, it will keep perfectly well for the medium term in normal cellar conditions.