Meritage is a wor used to distinguish wines that are made in the style of red Bordeaux but without infringing on that region's legally protected designation of origin. Winemakers must license the right to use the trademark "Meritage" for their wines from The Meritage Association, based in California. The Meritage designation is primarily used in the United States, but in recent years some wineries in other countries have also started to use the designation.