differences between Chardonay and Merlot

[wineguruchgo]

What neither mentioned is that much of the reason they are so popular is two fold:

They are both easy to drink and people can pronounce them.

Innkeeper you are right that Merlot was a blending grape and it's primary responsibility was to calm down the cabernet in the traditional Bordeaux blend.

It has been recently (last 100 yrs) with the advance of technology, that Merlot has been palatable as it's own varietal.

There is nothing wrong with drinking either. Some people like the oaky taste in Chardonnay, some don't. Most people who drink Merlot like it because the tannins are relaxed (tannin is the thing that makes your tongue feel like it's sticking to the roof of your mouth and/or dries your mouth out like Iced Tea). The lower tannin level makes the wine easier to drink.

Taste in wine is like taste in color. There is no right or wrong anwer.