Merlot (Italy)
Merlot is an easy-drinking, soft, and elegant red wine.
New to red wine? Start with Merlot!
Typical Flavors
 Raspberry |
 Black Cherry |
 Plum |
 Blackberry |
 Blueberry |
 Violets |
 Herbs |
 Pepper |
Oak added Flavors:
 Vanilla |
 Coffee |
 Chocolate |
 Tobacco |
Raspberry, Black Cherry, Plum, Tobacco and Vanilla are typical Italian Merlot flavors.
Profile
Italian Merlot is a medium wine with medium tannins and acidity:
| BODY | Medium - Plus | ||
| TANNINS | Medium | ||
| FRUIT | Medium | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium - Plus | ||
| |||
Food Pairing
 Finger Food |
 Pizza |
 Hamburger |
 Ham |
 Casseroles |
 Pasta |
 Mushroom |
 Chicken |
 Rabbit |
 Pork |
 Lamb |
 Veal |
Italian Merlot goes well with a wide variety of food.
Sipped alone is a wonderful meditation wine.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent Pairing:
French Cuisine. Italian Dishes (Tomato Based).
Pizza. Baked Pasta. Lasagna.
Spaghetti Meatballs. Hamburger.
Fried or Grilled Mushrooms.
Casseroles. Beef Stew.
Veal Chops. Wiener Schnitzel.
Meatloaf. Beef Wellington.
BBQ. Chicken. Pork. Rabbit.
Roasted Lamb. Lamb Chops. Lamb Shank.
Red Meat Dishes.
Cheese:
Aged Cheese. Cheddar. Gouda. Pecorino.
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The Ideal Glass
The Bordeaux glass is perfect for a good bodied red wine.
It is taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.
The large size of the glass allows the fruit bouquet to develop. It smooths out rough edges, plays down tannins, and allows the wines to achieve balance.
The slimmer bowl sends the wine directly to the back of the mouth for maximum taste.
About Merlot
Merlot is the second most planted grape in the world.
Merlot is one of the primary grapes used in both "Bordeaux Right Bank" and "Bordeaux Left Bank" blends, along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
Merlot adds softness and mouth-watering fruit creating the perfect marriage with the more masculine grape Cabernet Sauvignon. The name Merlot derives from French "Merle" (Blackbird) for its dark color.
100% Merlot wines exist and they are some of the world´s most expensive wines such Chateau Petrus (Pomerol, Bordeaux) or Ornellaia (Bolgheri, Tuscany).
Merlot is known to be easy to drink, both alone and with food and therefor a perfect introduction to redwine for the newcomers.
Merlot in Italy
Merlot is the fifth most widely planted grape variety in Italy.
It is commonly found in the north of Italy, in the regions of Alto-Adige, Friuli, and Veneto, where the Merlots are juicy, soft and pleasant with fresh acidity.
In Tuscany it is a part of the "Super Tuscan" blend.