Merlot, Veneto

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.

Veneto is a land of ancient winemaking traditions, which today boasts the primacy in Italy for the production of DOC wines. The wine production of the region is qualified not only through the widest and most varied panorama of vineyards and wines, from whites to reds, from sparkling wines to passito, but also thanks to a strong vocation for quality, with as many as 14 DOCG wines, 28 DOC wines and 10 IGT wines.

Much of the Veneto, due to its climatic and morphological characteristics, is an area where excellent grapes are grown; viticulture is practiced both in the flat area, very rich in streams, and on the hills, which have a mild climate and fertile soils. With its 78,200 hectares of vineyards it is certainly one of the most interesting regions, especially for the variety of wines produced there, from the great reds of Valpolicella such as Amarone and Ripasso, to the fragrant and intense whites such as Soave and Lugana (appellation that it shares with the Lombardia) to Prosecco in its various variations, from Asolo DOCG to Cartizze.

Venetian red wine

Venetian red wine is known all over the world thanks to Amarone della Valpolicella. This red wine obtained from grapes subjected to drying ranks among the great Italian reds, and due to its characteristics of longevity and structure it is often one of the most coveted wines by collectors. In Valpolicella, however, there is also Valpolicella ripasso (obtained by resting on the lees of Amarone), and classic and superior Valpolicella. Not far away, we find Bardolino, more fruity and easy to drink, especially loved across the border. In Veneto there are also non-native grapes, such as on the Colli Berici, where Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are at home, alongside the curious local grape tocai rosso, similar to cannonau or grenache. Finally, interesting results are obtained from the carmenere grape and above all from the Raboso, which gives life to an excellent red wine and a noteworthy passito.

Veneto white wine

Veneto white wine has been successful thanks to the Lugana appellation (in common with Lombardy), an excellent white wine with complex aromas, which is also interesting for aging. The Soave and Gambellara appellation was also of great importance, in which white wines have made famous producers such as Pieropan. Among the white grapes of interest there are undoubtedly the Vespaiola, with which the Torcolato di Breganze passito wine is produced, but also the yellow Moscato, which in the Euganean Hills originates the Moscato Fiori d'Arancio DOCG, a sweet sparkling wine with greedy aromas. However, white wine in Veneto means above all glera, with a growing production of Prosecco, which recently saw the release of the new Prosecco rosé, born from glera and pinot noir.

What is the best Venetian red wine?

Amarone della Valpolicella is undoubtedly the best Venetian red wine, and ranks among the best Italian wines thanks to its longevity, which allows it to age in the cellar for up to 20 or 30 years like Barolo and Brunello.

What is the best match for Veneto white wine?

Veneto white wine is rich in aromas and normally does not have much acidity, which is why it is suitable for pairing with river fish but also with egg-based dishes or enriched with sauces with aromatic herbs and bechamel. Try for example to combine Soave with pasta alla carbonara or Lugana with trout alla mugnaia, it will be a success!

Which are the most famous wine producers in Veneto?

The most famous wine producers of Veneto are undoubtedly those of Valpolicella, such as Quintarelli, Masi, Bertani, but also Tommasi, Dal Forno and Allegrini. However, there are also prominent names in the Soave appellation, such as Pieropan.