Is there a white Merlot grape?
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Dear Dr. Vinny,
Is there a white Merlot grape?
—Craig, Tularosa, N.M.
Dear Craig,
Mutant strains aside, no. Merlot grapes are red, and most of the time they're used to make red wine. White Merlot is a nickname for a rosé-style wine made from Merlot grapes (just as white Zinfandel is a blush wine made from red Zinfandel grapes). White Merlot is usually made by crushing the grapes and limiting the contact the juice has with the skins before fermentation.
—Dr. Vinny
