≈ Merlot

Merlot (#6C0134) is a dark, moderately saturated red with a warm feel. It has a hue angle of 331° and a lightness of 34%. Its moderate saturation keeps it lively without shouting.

Red is the color people notice first. It raises attention and energy, and is tied to appetite, passion and urgency, which is why it works for calls to action and sale banners, and why too much of it can feel tense. As a dark shade, Merlot feels weighty and serious.

In much of the West red stands for love, danger and stop. In China and many other East Asian cultures it is the color of luck, celebration and prosperity.

Merlot is an easy supporting color. It carries white text well, so it works as a button, header or badge background. Pair it with its tints and shades for a complete scale.

• Calls to action and sale banners
• Food and drink branding
• Error and alert states
• Festive and celebration design

Red ochre is among the oldest pigments, found in prehistoric cave art. Later reds came from madder root, cochineal insects and vermilion; the synthetic dye alizarin, made in 1868, replaced madder.

White text on Merlot has a contrast ratio of 12.41:1 (AAA); black text has 1.69:1 (fails). WCAG AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text and interface parts. Red and green are the pair most often confused in color blindness, so never use this color alone to mean success or error: add an icon or label.