As with any wine varietal, it’s best to try as many as you can and keep track of what you like and don’t like. Take notes and track your positive and negative reactions. If you’re unsure what to buy first, try to narrow it down to a region. Merlot from France and Italy will likely be fuller, with earthy notes. California merlot may be fruity and medium-bodied, and oak-aged options will have hints of vanilla and cinnamon. Look for medium-bodied merlots from other new world regions as well. Within each country, merlot will vary by area and the year it was made.