Merlot Nails
A medium-deep wine red carrying soft purple and brown undertones, sitting between a cool burgundy and a near-black oxblood. It reads editorial and expensive rather than gothic, which makes it the wine shade people reach for while the weather is still warm.
Trend context
Key fact
Fall 2026 trend reports now treat burgundy as three separate shades rather than one: Elsa Claire's 22-idea fall guide splits it into merlot (purple-red), oxblood (browner, almost black in low light) and cherry wine (warmer and redder), while The Pretty Theory's 11-shade fall ranking names Merlot Red its most timeless colour of the season.
