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.

Lazio wine has very ancient origins, dating back to the Etruscan population who inhabited the areas of Tuscany and upper Lazio. From these antecedents the Roman civilization was able to draw a wine culture and develop it at the gates of the city of Rome, in particular in the south-eastern area currently corresponding to the Castelli Romani area. It was here that prominent figures such as Cato the Censor and Marco Tullio Cicero had chosen to place their summer residences, far from the busy city and the chaos of public life. The wine culture linked to the evolution of the Empire soon allowed the spread of local and imported wines which, almost uninterruptedly, have given us historical evidence on the habits and methods of consumption of the time. Just Cato already in the first half of the second century BC published a De agri cultura a text of enormous importance in testifying the success of viticulture in the Castelli Romani and full of insights and advice on how to raise the vine and proceed with healthy winemaking practices. On the other hand, a legend that refers to the Viterbo area the celebrity of Montefiascone Est is due to the XII century! East!! East!!!. It is a white wine remembered for the singular story of Bishop Johannes Defuk, a prelate known for his great passion for wines who, finding himself in the retinue of Henry V traveling to Rome, decided to entrust a very delicate task to his messenger: distinguish inns where quality wine was served with a sign of recognition. The servant himself mentioned three times, with the initials East! East!! Est !!!, the place where this excellent wine was served, destined to remain in history. The popularity of these areas still allowed during the mid-19th century to classify the wines of Montefiascone, Frascati and Marino as the most popular wines. Still widely consumed today thanks to the careful work of promotion and protection, the Marino DOC and Frascati Superiore DOCG appellations continue to offer and spread important varieties such as Bellone, Bombino, Malvasia and Trebbiano. Compared to red grape varieties, in addition to the important and albeit limited diffusion of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, Cesanese remains a widely appreciated grape in southern Lazio and normally considered suitable for the production of fresh and drinkable wines. Since 2008 Cesanese del Piglio is the only red wine with the DOCG designation. In the southern coastal area of the region, another grape has taken hold over time, continuing to exhibit positive feedback from the public of enthusiasts: Moscato di Terracina. With about 140 hectares of vineyards, Moscato di Terracina has the aromatic characteristics of Moscato grapes and is vinified in both the dry and sweet versions.

Lazio red wine

The Lazio red wine is produced with a series of red grape varieties and following a distribution based on the pedoclimatic characteristics of the region. In Ciociaria, an area within the Province of Frosinone, Cabernet Sauvignon is particularly widespread, giving rise to the Atina DOC appellation. In the southern area of the capital, some reds based on Sangiovese, Syrah and Petit Verdot are produced, often surpassed in terms of consumption and notoriety by the great whites based on Malvasia. A large part of Sangiovese is also widespread in northern Lazio while the Cesanese dominates in the area south of Rome, concentrating above all in the area between Fiuggi and Palestrina.

What is the best wine of Lazio?

It is difficult to say which is the best wine of Lazio with so many varieties to try and many provincial representatives. Certainly the Cesanese del Piglio is a wine to be enhanced by dedicating repeated tastings to it, while the Castelli Romani deserve the discovery of Malvasia Puntinata through the tasting of wines falling within the Frascati DOC and Frascati Superiore DOCG appellations.

Which are the wine producers of Lazio?

Poggio Le Volpi, Casale del Giglio and Federici are undoubtedly among the best wine producers in Lazio for the Castelli Romani area. Located near the Umbrian border, the Sergio Mottura winery also deserves particular attention.

What are the best food pairings for Lazio wines?

The possibility of ranging between red and white wines certainly grants a wide choice for pairing Lazio wines with regional or Italian dishes. Surely the great reds of Lazio lend themselves very well to grilled meats such as lamb and pork, managing to support very well very tasty local first courses such as carbonara and gricia. The versatility of dry whites allows very dynamic combinations with fried fish or grilled fish as in the case of dry Moscato di Terracina. Also interesting is the pairing of wines based on Malvasia Laziale with roast pork such as porchetta castellana or with fried lamb and artichokes.