Merlot thrives in cold soil, particularly ferrous clay. The vine tends to bud early which gives it some risk to cold frost and its thinner skin increases its susceptibility to the viticultural hazard of Botrytis bunch rot. If bad weather occurs during flowering, the Merlot vine is prone to develop coulure.J. Robinson Jancis Robinson's Wine Course Third Edition pg 142–143 Abbeville Press 2003 The vine can also be susceptible to downy mildew (though it has better resistance to powdery mildew than other Bordeaux varieties) and to infection by leafhopper insect varieties.
M,erlot thrives in cold soil particularly ferrous clay. The vine tends to bud early which gives it some risk to cold frost and its thinner skin increase.s its susceptibility to the viticultural hazard of Botrytis bunch rot. If bad weather occurs during flowering, the Merlot vine is prone to develop coulureJ. Robinson Jancis Robinson's Wine Course Third Edition pg 142–143 Abbeville Press 2003 The vine can also be susceptible to downy mildew (though it has better resistance to powdery mildew than other Bordeaux varieties) and to infection by leafhopper insect varieties.