Merlot (Italy)
Merlot is an easy-drinking, soft, and elegant red wine.
New to red wine? Start with Merlot!
Flavors
 Blueberry |
 Currant |
 Raspberry |
 Cranberry |
 Bitter Cherry |
 Plum |
 Jam |
 Violets |
 Herbs |
 Mint |
 Thyme |
 Tomato Leaves |
 Oak |
 Coffee |
 Chocolate |
 Cinnamon |
Black Cherry. Dark Berries. Blueberry. Blackcurrant.
Plum. Jam. Rhubarb. Violets.
Notes of Herbs. Mint. Thyme. Oregano. Tomato Leaves. Fennel.
Oak. Chocolate. Vanilla. Licorice. Baking Spices.
Profile
Merlot is a medium wine with medium tannins and acidity:
| BODY | Medium + | ||
| TANNINS | Medium | ||
| FRUIT | Medium | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium + | ||
| |||
Food Pairing
 Finger Food |
 Pizza |
 Hamburger |
 Ham |
 Casseroles |
 Pasta |
 Mushroom |
 Chicken |
 Rabbit |
 Pork |
 Lamb |
 Veal |
The easy-drinking Merlot goes well a wide variety of food.
It is also good zipped alone.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent Pairing:
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.
About Merlot
Merlot is one of the primary grapes used in Red Bordeaux blends, along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
It 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.
Read More
Merlot is the second most planted grape in the world.
You can read more about the grape at Merlot Grapes.
You can read more about the world wide production at Merlot Regions.
The Ideal Glass
The Bordeaux glass is the perfect glass for medium to full bodied red wines.
It is taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.
The slimmer bowl sends the wine directly to the back of the mouth for maximum taste.