Merlot, once the darling of the red wine world, has been planted widely throughout the world, as the grape is very easy to cultivate. But, the grape tends towards high production and if the viticulturalist is not rigorous about controlling yields, the resulting wines tend to be dull and insipid. Unfortunately, so much dull wine has now hit the market that many consumers have forgotten how remarkable excellent Merlot can be. The Right Bank Bordeaux of St. Emilion and Pomerol produces remarkably opulent claret. In the Napa Valley, low yield vineyards in the cooler Carneros microclimate produce some of the best examples of California.