Merlot
Originally from the French area of Bordeaux from which the most prestigious wines based on this blend still come today, Merlot is one of the most popular black grape varieties internationally thanks to its great drinkability and high adaptability. Generally the Merlot grapes are processed and vinified with the aim of creating precious blends based on Cabernet Sauvignon where the role of Merlot consists in adding finesse and expressiveness of the fruit by expanding and emphasizing the organoleptic potential of Cabernet Sauvignon. Compared to the origin, Merlot is born in the Bordeaux area from a spontaneous cross between Cabernet Franc and Magdalene Noir de Charentes. If the complementary grape of Cabernet Sauvignon remains in the Medoc region, in the Saint-Emilion area it is the most cultivated and often proposed grape variety, especially in the Pomerol area, a true paradise of this extraordinary grape. Unlike the coastal part where the pebble suitable for the cultivation of Cabernet Sauvignon dominates, in this area the gravelly soils of alluvial matrix are sedimented with sands rich in ferrous minerals and clays, creating a perfect mix for the needs of the vine. The most famous Merlots in the world are born in this AOC, which stand out for the finesse of the aromas of small dark berries, for the extraordinary harmony and complexity, as well as for a refined evolution towards balsamic and mentholated notes. The Pomerol territory was not classified in 1855, but over the centuries a scale of values was created and today the most highly rated labels ever come from: Château Petrus, Château La Fleur, Château L'Eglise Clinet, Château Le Pin, Château La Violette, Château Trotanoy, Château Housanna, Château L'Evangile, Château Clinet, Vieux Château Certan. In addition to this French peculiarity, Merlot remains one of the most widespread varieties in the world, present in almost all European countries, as well as in the countries of the New World. Thus, especially in consideration of its peculiar characteristics, the vinification of Merlot in purity appears increasingly widespread in recent years, offering wines with great personality. In Italy the spread of this grape involves regions such as Friuli Venezia Giulia, South Tyrol, Veneto, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Sicily. Precisely in the case of Tuscany, the extreme compatibility of coastal climatic conditions with those present in the Bordeaux area has allowed in recent decades the creation of very successful and qualitatively competitive blends despite the maintenance of recognizable specificities. In addition to being subject to very different harvest times, designed to obtain fresher and less alcoholic or more robust wines in consideration of the ripeness of the fruit, Merlot usually comes in two different versions depending on the climatic conditions affecting the grapes. The most common is the one in which the Merlot grapes are grown in environments where a warm or moderate climate prevails, giving life to a wine with characteristic hints of wild berries mainly black berries such as blueberries, black currants, plums, cherries, often followed also from fresh herbaceous notes of undergrowth; the result is a wine characterized by a soft and velvety body in perfect balance with the body of the tannins and the high alcohol content. The other interpretation is more elegant and slender and is pursued with colder climatic conditions that allow Merlot, thanks to the different maturation, to stand out for greater tannins and acidity. In both cases, Merlot almost always undergoes an aging process in oak barrels, gaining spicy and fragrant notes of vanilla and coffee. Versatile and disruptive wine, Merlot is the red wine loved for its persuasive elegance, soft and rich fruit, smooth profile and balanced, long and persistent sip, without edges or harshness. An enveloping and round wine that over time has conquered the palates of connoisseurs from all over the world. In the Italian case, the appearance of Merlot in response to the damage caused by phylloxera depended on the need to plant new vineyards by selecting better known and more easily marketable varieties. The vine quickly settled in the Triveneto area, in areas that could recall the pebbly and gravelly soils of Bordeaux, such as the alluvial areas of the Greve del Friuli or the Piave area. The vine then spread throughout the peninsula, finding especially in the area of the Tuscan coast, Bolgheri and its hinterland, the pedoclimatic conditions to express itself with high quality levels, exhibiting a decidedly Mediterranean, mature, rich and intense profile. It is grown with excellent results also in Alto Adige, in particular in the Cortaccia area, the sunniest and hottest of the region, in Veneto in the area of the Berici and Breganze hills and in Umbria. I Merlot is history, discovery, adaptation: many are the labels that exalt it at the highest levels such as Masseto Tenuta dell'Ornellaia, Messorio Le Macchiole, Apparita Castello di Ama, Redigaffi Tua Rita, Rennero Gualdo del Re.
Buy Merlot online
If Merlot is a wine appreciated by many amateurs and easily available in wine shops, buying Merlot online is often the best way to reveal its full potential thanks to the immediate comparison of labels and origins. By purchasing Merlot online you can take a journey into the universe of this grape, discovering for example the blends from the coastal areas of Bordeaux and trying stimulating comparisons with Bolgheri wines. Before purchasing, you can devote every attention to discovering its fruity scents and let yourself be surprised by their combination by identifying the delicate herbaceous notes that accompany them. For an even more complete tasting experience, you can decide to buy two pure Merlots online which, if distinguished by harvesting period and winemaking techniques, will allow you to discover if your taste appreciates the freshness and momentum or body of the wine more ripe and expertly refined fruit. In short, buying Merlot online means getting to know wine from the right direction.
What are the characteristics of the Merlot grape?
The main characteristics of the Merlot grape include high vigor and high productivity, both conditions which, when the climatic configurations allow it, make it very adaptable and preferable for new plants.
What is the taste of a Merlot wine?
A wine composed of a high percentage of Merlot or made with pure Merlot has hints of red fruits and ripe plums with interesting herbaceous and spicy hints that manage to complete the organoleptic profile giving a fuller and more structured taste.
Which Italian Merlot is a must try?
There are many Italian Merlots that deserve consideration but some pure Merlot wines such as Masseto have gained worldwide fame to the point of rightfully entering the Olympus of labels to try at least once in a lifetime.
Südtirol - Alto Adige DOC Merlot Mollis 2019 Ritterhof
The vines from which Ritterhof's Merlot Mollis comes to life grow in Coste and Termeno at an altitude of 450-500 meters above sea level. The grapes ripen on sandy soils of porphyry origin capable of retaining the heat offered by the sun's rays and gradually returning it to the vineyard.
The grapes are pressed and fermented at a temperature of 28 ° C for 10 days. A long maceration allows an optimal extraction of colored pigments and aromatic substances. The wine ages for 12 months in small French ...
View product pageMaremma Toscana DOP Oci Ciornie 2016 Tenuta Dodici
The Oci Ciornie red wine of Tenuta Dodici was born in vineyards located on the Maremma hills, in southern Tuscany. It belongs to Russian businessman Konstantin Tuvykin and his partner, director Nikita Mikhalko. The Cotarella winemaker supervises the work in the cellar.
The wine is made from 100% Merlot grapes. The harvested grapes are de-stemmed and placed to vinify in thermo-controlled steel tanks. The aging takes place in French oak barriques for 12-18 months.
Intense ruby red in color, the nose...
View product pageStellenbosch WO Merlot 2020 Morgenster
Morgenster Merlot is a wine produced in the renowned Stellenbosch area, famous for its ability to excellently express the varietal characteristics of the wines produced. This range of varietals is created to be fruity and approachable, enhancing the unique qualities conferred by the Merlot grapes grown in this area.
The vinification follows traditional methods in red, while the refinement takes place for 12 months in second and third passage French barriques. This process helps develop complexity...
View product pageToscana IGT Rosso Redigaffi 2020 Tua Rita
The Redigaffi di Tua Rita was born in vineyards located in the Upper Maremma, in Suvereto, in the area of the Metalliferous Hills. The name derives from a small stream that flows near the property. The grapes come from vineyards that rest on predominantly clayey soils and with a conspicuous presence of skeleton. The company was founded in 1984, when Rita and Virgilio bought 2 hectares of vineyards, which over the years have become 30. The Redigaffi label is the work of the Livorno-based painter ...
View product pageMaremma Toscana DOC Merlot 2020 Cantina 8380
The Maremma Toscana Merlot from Cantina 8380 is a 100% Merlot with great personality, proof that a vine treated with care and skill can give life to wines of extraordinary complexity and pleasantness.
The harvest takes place exclusively by hand with selection of the best grapes. Fermentation takes place in steel at a controlled temperature, then gives way to aging in French oak barriques for 12 months. Followed by further refinement for 4 months in the bottle.
Of a beautiful ruby red color, it ope...
View product pageVino Spumante di Qualità Brut Rosé Merlot Tenuta Ulisse
The Quality Merlot Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine from Tenuta Ulisse is a refined and distinctive representation of the Abruzzo region. Born from a calcareous-clayey soil, benefiting from the influence of the mountain climate and the Adriatic breezes, this sparkling wine is the result of a careful choice of Merlot grapes.
The harvest begins with the meticulous sorting of the grapes, followed by the use of the exclusive "Ulisse" cooling tunnel for a sudden reduction in temperature. The slow fermentation...
View product pageFriuli Merlot DOC 2022 Cormòns
The Friuli Merlot of the Cormòns winery is a wine that benefits from an unparalleled climatic balance, in which the mountains offer protection to the plains planted with vines from the north winds and the sea exerts a mitigating effect capable of conferring elegance and aromas to the final wine.
The harvest is done manually at the end of September and the grapes are first fermented in steel for 2 weeks, then racked and continue the process in large barrels. The wine matures for over a year in lar...
View product pageFriuli Grave DOC Merlot 2022 Torre Rosazza
The Merlot of Torre Rosazza was born straddling the Tagliamento river, between the provinces of Pordenone and Udine. Torre Rosazza's philosophy is to produce fresh and contemporary Friulian wines, the result of meticulous care of the vineyards and attention to preserving the peculiar characteristics of each single variety.
It consists exclusively of Merlot grapes, which are first destemmed and pressed. The vinification takes place in steel tanks with maceration on the skins for 5-6 days. The wine...
View product pageFriuli Isonzo DOC Merlot 2020 Villanova
The Merlot of Tenuta Villanova is born in vineyards located within the DOC Friuli Isonzo. The estate includes an architectural complex that dates back to 1499. Since the 1930s, the Grossi family has been producing wine in the Isonzo and Collio Gorizia area.
It is produced from 100% Merlot grapes, vinified and aged for 12 months in steel tanks.
It is characterized by a ruby red colour. The nose reveals aromas of black cherry, blackberry and blueberry. The sip is warm and enveloping, with a good per...
View product pagePays d'Oc IGP Merlot 2022 Les Jamelles
Merlot is produced by Les Jamelles, a French winery born in the 90s in Languedoc. The cellar has a wide range of wines that embraces all types: white, orange, rosé, red and sparkling.
It consists exclusively of Merlot grapes, which are vinified with 2-4 weeks of maceration. 2/3 of the wine ages in French oak barrels, 1/3 in American oak barrels.
Intense ruby red in color, it reveals aromas of ripe red fruit, caramel and sweet spices on the nose. The sip is rich and round, with a silky and persiste...
View product pageSaint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC Les Roches de Yon-Figeac 2014 Château Yon-Figeac
Second wine of Château Yon-Figeac, it comes from vineyards that extend on the right bank of the Dordogne river and benefit from a clayey-sandy soil, with a good presence of ferrous oxide.
Harvesting is done manually when fully ripe. Fermentation takes place in steel tanks at a controlled temperature for 25 days. The wine ages in French oak barriques, new at 30%, for 12 months.
Deep and brilliant ruby red color, it faces the nose with a complex and seductive texture of morello cherry and blackberry...
View product pageBordeaux Supérieur AOC 2015 Château Le Conseiller
Bordeaux Supérieur is produced by Château Le Conseiller, which is part of the Jean Philippe Janqueix domaines.
The wine is made from 100% Merlot grapes. They are vinified at a controlled temperature in 60 hl open wooden vats and in steel tanks. The malolactic fermentation takes place in wooden barrels. The wine is aged in wooden barrels for a few months.
Intense ruby red in colour, it reveals fruity aromas of currant, cranberry and cherry on the nose. The sip is juicy and slender, medium-bodied an...
View product pageBolgheri DOC Campo al Mare Rosato 2022 Ambrogio e Giovanni Folonari
This Rosé was born inside the Campo al Mare estate, owned by the Folonari family, located in the famous area of Bolgheri.
The wine is made entirely with Merlot grapes, harvested in early September. After a soft pressing of the grapes, the product is left to ferment in steel where it then rests for 4 months. A period of aging in glass follows, before being put on the market.
The Rosé Campo al Mare of Folonari has a very soft raspberry pink color. The nose has a pleasant floral bouquet, with strong ...
View product pageToscana IGT Magaldo 2016 Tenuta Carobbio
The Magaldo di Carobbio red wine is born in vineyards located in Panzano in Chianti (Florence).
It consists exclusively of Merlot grapes, which are fermented for 10 days in thermoregulated steel tanks. This is followed by maceration for 25-28 days and, after drawing off, refinement in French oak barriques for 20 months. The refinement ends with 6 months in the bottle.
Intense ruby red in color, it reveals aromas of black cherry, red fruits and chocolate to the nose. The sip is full, harmonious and...
View product pageVerona IGT Merlot Decima Aurea 2017 Tenuta Santa Maria
The Merlot Decima Aurea of Tenuta Santa Maria comes from vineyards rooted in the Val d'Illasi, east of Verona.
The harvest is carried out for a first part by hand in boxes between the second and third decade of September. This is followed by a slight drying of about a month and the harvest, in October, of another part of overripe grapes. The two batches ferment separately at a controlled temperature and mature in oak barrels for about 14 months, then are blended and aged in the bottle.
It is chara...
View product pageSicilia DOC Merlot Sito dell'Ulmo 2019 Planeta
The Sicily Merlot Site of Planeta's Ulmo originates on the shores of Lake Arancio, in the municipality of Sambuca di Sicilia, in the province of Agrigento.
It is made entirely from Merlot grapes from a single vineyard, harvested when perfectly ripe in September. Following a 14-day maceration on the skins, the must ferments at a controlled temperature of 28 ° C. The malolactic fermentation is carried out in steel, after which the wine is aged for 14 months in Allier oak barriques before being bott...
View product pageValle del Maipo DO Merlot Reserva 2022 Ventisquero
Merlot Reserva is produced by the Chilean company Ventisquero, founded in 2000, whose name in Spanish means "glacier". The company is very large and produces wine from the main Chilean wine-growing areas, in particular from the Maipo Valley, the Casablanca Valley and the Palta Valley.
The harvest of the Merlot grapes takes place at the beginning of March. Once in the cellar, the grapes first undergo maceration to facilitate extraction, then fermentation in steel. 70% of the wine obtained is aged ...
View product pageCôtes de Bordeaux AOC Rouge 2021 Château d'Aiguilhe
Château d'Aiguilhe is a wine produced in the Château of the same name located in the Castillon region, in the Côtes de Bordeaux area. This prestigious vineyard boasts a long winemaking tradition, located on land that enjoys an exceptional microclimate, ideal for growing grapes.
The carefully selected grapes are subjected to cutting-edge winemaking methods at Château d'Aiguilhe. Fermentation and aging techniques are aimed at preserving the elegance and complexity of the wine, emphasizing its disti...
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