Merlot is an international black grape variety originating in the territory of Bordeaux and mainly spread in the regions of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto. Its cultivated area in Italy amounts to 28,000 hectares, while worldwide it amounts to 250,000 hectares.
Merlot: a wine to taste
Merlot is a vine native to the Gironde, in the south-west of France. In most of the wine areas of the world, Merlot is accompanied by Cabernet Sauvignon, with which it gives life to Taglio Bordolese. Merlot gives the wine its full and ripe fruit, while Cabernet Sauvignon, more tannic, gives a more aristocratic and longevity to the wine.
The Merlot wine arrived in Italy towards the end of 1800, in particular in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and then spread to Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige and Tuscany in Val di Cornia and Bolgheri. Merlot is a very early grape, which needs a rich soil, able to retain water; a peculiarity of these soils is the clayey component that, in the hottest periods, it is compact by cutting the younger roots and avoiding the risk of excessive nutrition of the plant.
The fermentation of Merlot wine takes place largely in steel or cement, while the aging takes place in barrique. Merlot wine is characterized by fruity notes, and it is a wine that is usually drunk young, within two to three years of being marketed.
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Merlot: the adoptions proposed by UFarmer
Merlot grapes – Adopt a vineyard with UFarmer
The first proposal of UFarmer for Merlot wine is “Libellula” produced by Annafrancesca winery in the beautiful lands of Verona. It is a wine produced with 100% Merlot grapes, harvested towards the middle of September, left to macerate for 7 days on the skins and then aged partly in steel and partly in wood. This Merlot wine on the nose has spicy and fruity notes of ripe cherry and raspberry, to the taste shows a round and well balanced taste with a pleasing sour note. The perfect pairings for this Merlot are meat dishes, mushrooms, legume soups and fish preparations seasoned and processed.
Adopt a Merlot vineyard “Libellula”, click here.
Moving on to Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Castello di Buttrio proposes “Marburg”, a Merlot wine with an intense red color, the nose has notes of small berries such as raspberries, blueberries and black cherries with light spicy hints; to the taste this Merlot is shown as a velvety and harmonious wine, of excellent structure and balance. Once harvested, the grapes age for 10-11 months, partly in stainless steel tanks and partly in barriques. This Merlot goes well with pasta and beans, with ham shank Jota, with Boreto di Grado fish and eel stew.
Adopt a vineyard of “Marburg”, the Merlot of Catello di Buttrio, click here.
In Tuscany, with Villa Petriolo, we find “Golpaja Rosso Toscano IGT”, a red wine made from Sangiovese grapes and a small percentage of Merlot. A wine that vinifies in steel ages in cement and then rests in the bottle for at least 6 months. This red wine has a seductive scent of juicy fruit and touches of aromatic herbs such as rosemary, sage and cinnamon. This Tuscan red is a fresh, elegant, solid and long-lived wine, perfect in combination with typical Tuscan dishes.
Discover “Golpaja Rosso Toscano IGT” and adopt a vineyard, click here.
Another proposal of Villa Petriolo is “Poggiarello Rosso Toscano IGT”, a wine composed of 50% Sangiovese grapes and the remaining Carmenere, Canaiolo, Colorino, Barbera and Merlot. The different grapes are vinified separately, as the maceration phase takes place at different times, but never exceeds 10 days. In the next phase the wine is transferred to French oak barrels for 18 months, then continue the aging in bottle for at least 6 months. The nose shows hints of plum and ripe cherry, with notes of cinnamon, rhubarb vanilla and cinchona. The mouthfeel is very fresh with a fruity and mineral finish.
Adopt a vineyard of “Poggiarello Rosso Toscano IGT”, click here.
Staying in the beautiful Tuscan land, Tenuta di Trinoro offers “Le Cupole Rosso Toscana IGT”, a wine made from the blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot grapes. This wine ferments for 10-15 days in steel tanks and ages in French oak barrels and, later, in cement tanks. This red wine is exuberant, rich in ripe and bright fruit, which goes well with meat, grill, roast, boiled and game.
A curiosity about “Le Cupole Rosso Toscana IGT” concerns the assembly of the four vines, which changes every year in respect of the vintage. Adopt a vineyard, click here.
Returning to Veneto, on the Euganean Hills, we find “Rosso Infinito” by Maeli, a wine made from Carmenere, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. This full-bodied wine ages 6 months in steel and 30 months in cement, without being clarified and filtered. On the nose stand out aromas of red fruit such as cherry, strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, hints of pepper and sweet spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper. The palate is soft and generous, fresh and soft with elegant and silky tannins. A perfect wine if paired with mature and spicy cheeses and pasta dishes based on meat sauces.
Adopt a vineyard of “Rosso Infinito”, click here.
This journey to discover Merlot ends, stay tuned to discover the latest curiosities and the different types of wine proposed by UFarmer.
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