Merlot
Merlot
Narrative Fortified
Canadian Fortified
Merlot and Syrah are fermented in concrete, then fortified mid-ferment with grape spirit distilled on site. The wine spends at least two years in neutral oak before bottling. Pepper, sweet black cherry and chocolate sit within a lightly creamy texture and smooth finish. It can be served slightly chilled or at room temperature, with toasted almonds or fruitcake.
Tenuta Argentiera 2022 Villa Donoratico Bolgheri Rosso
Italian Red
Subdued aromas of dried blueberry, leather, espresso, oak and exotic spice accompany blackberry, graphite and liquorice. The tannins are lithe. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot make up the blend. The vineyard lies between 30 and 80 metres, with continental sands and flysch composed of limestone, marl, clay, sandstone and siliceous rock. The site is planted at 6,000 vines per hectare.
D.B. Schmitt 2017 Rot
German Red
Merlot, Pinot Noir, Portugieser and Dornfelder are macerated together for six weeks. Ageing lasts one year on gross lees in a 4,000-litre Bavarian oak cask. The wine is neither fined nor filtered, and no sulphite is added. Limestone, sandstone, loess and clay are present in the vineyard soils. The estate has organic certification and holds Demeter biodynamic certification.
Mariatinto 2021 Red Blend
Mexican Red
Fresh dark and red fruit, blueberry, violets and rose petals meet spice, leather, cedar and roasted coffee. The blend combines Tempranillo, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Nebbiolo and Merlot, and matures for one year in French oak. The winery works with grapes from established growers around Ensenada and uses sustainable and organic practices in both vineyard and cellar.
Else Wines 2022 Merlot
Canadian Red
Fruity and juicy, the wine blends eighty-five percent Merlot with fifteen percent Pinot Blanc. The grapes spend seven days on skins and ferment with wild yeast. Maturation takes place in stainless steel, and minimal sulphites are added. Alcohol is twelve-point-four percent. Pinot Blanc was included after organic Merlot became unusually expensive for this release, helping keep the finished bottle accessible.
Château de Pitray 2016 Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
French Red
Ripe black fruit, spice and floral notes accompany an ample palate. The structure is solid, with freshness, velvety tannins and a long savoury finish. The blend comprises seventy-five percent Merlot, twenty-three percent Cabernet Franc and two percent Malbec. Vines grow on a clay-limestone plateau. Part of the wine matures in cement and part in oak for about twelve months.
Château Maltus 2022 Lalande-de-Pomerol
French Red
Blackcurrant, coffee, graphite, oak and undergrowth define the aromatic profile. The dry, full-bodied palate is generous, with present acidity and balanced wood. Structure and a polished texture accompany spice, pepper, dense black fruit and rich tannins. The fruit comes from vines averaging sixty-five years of age, and maturation lasts eighteen months in wood. Merlot accounts for seventy percent of the blend.
Over the Fence 2021 Merlot
Canadian Red
Ripe black fruit and Saskatoon berry preserve accompany spice, cedar, cocoa, vanilla and butter cream. Smoke is present at a low level, alongside refined acidity, smooth tannins and a finish. Merlot fruit from Osoyoos is destemmed and fermented in a three-ton wooden vat, then aged for sixteen months in French oak. The finished wine contains fifteen percent alcohol.
Château du Vallier 2018 Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux
French Red
Ruby colour with violet reflections accompanies rich black fruit and young tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec make up the red blend. The bouquet combines fruit and wood, while the palate is dense and tannic. The wine is matured in barrel and carries thirteen and a half percent alcohol. Production amounted to fifty-five thousand bottles.
La Massa 2021 Toscana IGT
Italian Red
Sangiovese makes up sixty percent of the blend, with twenty percent Cabernet Sauvignon; the remaining twenty percent combines Merlot and Alicante Bouschet. Fermentation is spontaneous, with punchdowns, pumping through peristaltic pumps and temperature control. The wines mature in French oak barrels, twenty percent new. Grapes were harvested from mid-September through the first half of October, and bottling took place in May.
Le Raisin et l’Ange 2023 Pause Canon Rosé
French Rosé
Red and black fruit shape this round, fresh rosé, with a supple finish. The blend combines fifty percent Plant de Brunel with twenty percent Grenache Noir, twenty percent Syrah and ten percent Merlot. Vinification uses a higher share of whole clusters than the previous vintage, while ageing takes place in stainless steel. The grapes are certified organic, and the wine is made without oenological additives.
Culmina 2014 Merlot
Canadian Red
Plum, cherry, blackberry, anise, sweet and savoury spices, and toasted oak form the profile of this Merlot. Ripe dark and red berries meet toasted vanilla spice in a supple, smooth texture. Fruit from Arise Bench on the Golden Mile Bench is bottled unfiltered and unfined. Maturation lasts sixteen months in French oak, with fifteen percent new barrels.
Scopone 2021 Rimani Toscana Rosso IGT
Italian Red
Dark ruby colour accompanies blackberry, cherry, plum, blackcurrant, cocoa, coffee, roasted spice and subtle vanilla. The palate is smooth, round and enveloping, with firm polished tannins and a long savoury finish. Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for half of the blend, Sangiovese for twenty percent, while Merlot and Syrah together make up the remaining thirty percent. Alcohol is 14.5 percent.
Château Tour Saint Bonnet 2018 Médoc
French Red
Refined crushed-berry fruit appears with cassis and subtle oak. The palate is full-bodied, with grainy tannins and balanced structure. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot form the blend. Fermentation takes place in traditional cement tanks, followed by eighteen months in large oak foudres. The vineyard occupies gravel soils near Saint-Christoly in the northern Médoc.
Castello Di Bolgheri 2022 Flocco Toscana IGT
Italian Red
Fresh red and blue fruit appears with a savoury undertone. The texture is silky, with moderate tannins and a touch of dryness. Sangiovese makes up eighty percent of the blend, with ten percent each Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Fermentation lasts fourteen to eighteen days in concrete tanks. The wine then spends twelve months in 500-litre barrels.
Le Coste 2018 Pizzicante Rosso
Italian Sparkling
This lightly sparkling red sits between red and rosé in style. One week of skin maceration precedes ageing in stainless steel. Red and dark berries appear with mulberry, pomegranate, ripe strawberry and hibiscus. The texture is prickly and snappy, with light tannins and a short finish. The wine comes from Lazio, Italy, and contains twelve percent alcohol.
Elian da Ros 2023 Le Vin est Une Fête Côtes du Marmandais
French Red
Abouriou, Cabernet Franc and Merlot form this red blend. Merlot and Cabernet Franc are destemmed and fermented in vats, while Abouriou is vinified in whole clusters with semi-carbonic maceration. Maturation lasts about ten to twelve months in foudres, older barrels and concrete before slight filtration. Red and dark fruit appear with spice, lively structure and an alcohol level of twelve-and-a-half percent.
Echo Bay 2017 Synoptic
Canadian Red
Merlot makes up thirty-nine percent of the blend, with twenty-two percent Cabernet Franc, fourteen percent Cabernet Sauvignon, eleven percent Malbec, seven percent Carménère and seven percent Petit Verdot. The grapes are destemmed, gently crushed and fermented separately, then spend four to five weeks on skins. Barrel ageing lasts eighteen months, with twenty percent new oak. The vineyard is farmed organically, with additional biodynamic preparations. Production totalled 360 cases, and alcohol is 13.8 percent.
Poplar Grove 2018 Merlot
Canadian Red
Medium ruby in colour, this blend contains eighty-nine percent Merlot, four percent Malbec, three percent Petit Verdot, two percent Cabernet Sauvignon and two percent Cabernet Franc. Cranberry and red cherry meet sage, red raspberry, bramble and vanilla. Medium-plus tannins and acidity provide structure, while sweet tobacco and piecrust appear in a lengthy finish. The wine spends twenty-one months in French oak and one year in bottle.
Poplar Grove 2017 Merlot
Canadian Red
Merlot forms eighty-five percent of the blend, joined by seven percent Malbec, five percent Cabernet Sauvignon and three percent Cabernet Franc. Fruit, baked flavours and chocolate appear in a dry profile. The wine spends twenty-one months in barrel, using twenty-five percent new oak and seventy-five percent one-to-three-year-old barrels, then another year in bottle. It comes from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia.
Poplar Grove 2016 Merlot
Canadian Red
Glimmering ruby in colour, this blend combines eighty-nine percent Merlot with eleven percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Blueberry and aged leather appear in the aromas, while dark chocolate, dark cherry and bay leaf define the palate. The wine is light yet well structured. Hand-picked berries are sorted, cold-soaked for four days and fermented in stainless steel. Ageing lasts twenty-one months in French oak, followed by one year in bottle.
Poplar Grove 2015 Merlot
Canadian Red
Dark ruby in colour with a subtle brick edge, the wine has marzipan, baking spice, dried fruit, vanilla and strawberry-jam aromas. Black plum, dried cherry and black pepper appear with soft, velvety tannins and a medium finish. The blend is eighty-eight percent Merlot, five percent Cabernet Sauvignon, five percent Cabernet Franc and two percent Malbec. Ageing lasts twenty-one months in French oak.
Poplar Grove 2011 Merlot
Canadian Red
Deep maroon in colour, this Merlot combines plum and leather aromas with coffee and mocha flavours. Dates, black cherry and black liquorice appear in a long, lingering finish. The wine spends twenty-one months in French oak and another eighteen months in bottle. Its texture is polished, while blackcurrant, blackberry, tobacco, lingonberry, spice and earth are also present in the profile.
Poplar Grove 2010 Merlot
Canadian Red
Prune, jam, coffee, meat, saddle leather, black olive, tomato purée and a light barnyard note appear in the aromas. The palate is full, round, dry and slightly tannic. Earth, caraway, roasted meat, cocoa, cedar and vanilla are also present. This Merlot comes from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. The overall profile is warm and chunky.
Poplar Grove 2009 Merlot
Canadian Red
Cassis and vanilla aromas accompany plum, black cherry and chocolate flavours. The palate is rich and full, with rounded, light tannins. Tobacco, liquorice, cedar, mint, cocoa, kirsch, orange peel and dried herbs are also present. Made entirely from Merlot, the wine spends eighteen months in French oak and another eighteen months in bottle. It comes from Naramata Bench in the Okanagan Valley.
Comtesse de Malet Roquefort 2022 Bordeaux Rouge
French Red
Ripe red fruit and subtle spice accompany a supple palate, fine tannins and freshness. The blend is ninety percent Merlot and ten percent Cabernet Franc. Grapes are selected rigorously, with most sourced from family properties. The vines grow in sandy clay soils. The wine honours Countess Isabeau, the first Malet Roquefort owner of Château La Gaffelière in 1705.
Markham Vineyards 2021 Napa Valley Merlot
American Red
Ripe raspberry, plum jam and caramel from oak ageing are present. Red fruit, minerality and velvety chocolate-covered cherries accompany structure, mid-palate weight and a long, round finish. The blend is ninety-one percent Merlot, seven percent Cabernet Sauvignon and two percent Malbec. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel with fifteen days of skin contact. The wine spends sixteen months in oak barrels, thirty percent new.
Le Coste 2023 Litrozzo Rosso 1 L
Italian Red
The blend includes Sangiovese and Merlot. Fermentation is spontaneous with native yeasts after destemming, and the wine undergoes eight days in concrete before malolactic fermentation without skins. It is bottled without fining or stabilization. Cherry and orange accompany a fresh, fruity profile. The fruit comes from Bomarzo and Montefiascone, and the release is classified as natural, organic and vegan.
Therianthropy 2024 Endless Rosé
Canadian Rosé
Merlot accounts for fifty-four percent of the blend, with thirty-seven percent Pinot Gris and nine percent Muscat. The Merlot receives nine days of carbonic maceration, while Pinot Gris and Muscat are co-fermented whole-cluster for two weeks. After seven months in stainless steel, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Production totals ninety-five cases, and alcohol is 12.2 percent.
Fairview Cellars 2016 The Bear Reserve Meritage Golden Mile Bench
Canadian Red
Red and black berries, currant, tobacco, bell pepper, herbs and anise define the profile. Integrated tannins, medium acidity and a long, clean, balanced finish are present. The blend combines Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, with Cabernet Sauvignon making up at least half. The wine comes from Golden Mile Bench in British Columbia.