Much of merlot’s negative reputation stems from poor bottles made in California in the 1990s. At that time, California was ramping up production for a wine-hungry nation, and in doing so the quality of merlot suffered. These merlots were typically sweeter than what you would find elsewhere in the world, meaning California merlot wasn’t well regarded or beloved by longtime wine drinkers. These sweeter, and sometimes bland, merlots were geared toward new and younger wine drinkers. However, merlot’s reputation is on the upswing these days, and it’s easy to find quality bottles from California and around the world.