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Red Wine

Merlot

Merlot is one of the 5 permissible varieties in Red Bordeaux, making what is called the Bordeaux blend.

They vary considerably in their flavours, tannin profiles, and, most significantly the order in which they ripen. As a generalisation, the Left Bank, including the Medoc and Pessac-Léognan / Graves tend to use Cabernet as their backbone. The right bank, including, Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, Merlot as there backbone.

As with all varieties, the below commentary is a generalisation. Merlot will express differently around the world, in individual vineyards, and, depending on the vignerons’ and winemakers’ handling.

Merlot

The backbone of the cooler right bank wine, the earlier ripening Merlot, has softer, more supple tannins, less overt fruit characters than Cabernet Sauvignon, showing more restraint. Again, it benefits from extended post-fermentation maceration.

The big names like Pétrus and Trotanoy make stunning wines.

Move to warm climates in Australia, Italy (most famously Tuscany), and, America and it is a different beast altogether.

Tasting of a couple of dozen Merlots from around the world a few decades ago revealed an incredible diversity of style from supple and silky to bold inky and structured.

Interviewing Luca di Napoli from Castello dei Rampolla we explored how much it easier it was for him to ripen the Bordeaux varieties in Tuscany, and, just how different the tannins and flavours were.

The biggest name in Merlot in Italy is, undoubtedly, Masseto!

In Australia, large plantings of Merlot were actually incorrectly identified Cabernet Franc!


Masseto


Masseto Reviews

100 points James Suckling

This is so solid and powerful with incredible vertical dense that goes down and down on the palate. Compacted and thick with caressing and polished tannins that are powerful yet refined. Super concentration yet agile and energetic. This is a wine that needs time to come together and resolve all of its amazing components. Reminds me of the legendary 2001. Try after 2023. (6/2019)

100 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

Masseto has pulled off back-to-back home runs. This is the first time that an Italian wine has earned 100 points in successive vintages. The 2016 Masseto is a thunderstorm of emotions, but it manages to keep them under perfect control. Like the 2015 Masseto before it, this vintage is a seamless wine of the highest pedigree. It represents an encore performance, continuing the string of successes that is bringing Italy to the forefront of the wine world. The first thing you’ll notice is the thickness and concentration of the fruit that makes an immediate impact on all the senses, in terms of appearance, aroma and mouthfeel. There is no overstating the sheer power and richness of this iconic vintage of Italy’s groundbreaking Merlot. Despite that considerable mass, this Masseto remains delicate and graceful. You gain better perspective as the wine opens in the glass and reveals deeper layers that were not immediately apparent on first nose: dark fruit, spice, sweet tobacco and black cherry. There is great tightness and laser focus to the fruit. I tasted the 2016 and 2015 vintages together for comparison when I scored this wine, and then I tasted this 2016 edition alone about a month later to confirm my impressions. These vintages are identical twins, two perfect wines. ML (4/2019)

97 points Wine Spectator

A flashy style, featuring concentrated yet fluid flavors of blackberry, plum, violet, cedar and iron, wrapped in toasty, vanilla-scented oak. The acidity is vibrant and refined, but dense tannins provide support as this cruises to a long finish. Best from 2022 through 2045. BS (9/2019)

94-97 points Vinous (Barrel Sample)

The 2016 Masseto is finishing its aging in barrel. Dark, sumptuous and super-expressive, the 2016 has so much to offer. Expressive aromatics, silky tannins and layered of dark, resonant fruit are some of the signatures. All the elements simply fall into place in a Masseto endowed with terrific balance and class. AG (3/2019)

Filters & Sorting

Showing all 14 results

San Giusto a Rentennano Fuori Misura Rosato Toscano 2022

Red Blend | Tuscany, Chianti Classico

Dang! This is foine woine! Personality+++ This ain't no blinkity blink pink link! It's got the full sink! Delicious. It takes some mad skills to pull off a wine like this. The balance point between rosé & light red, the crunch with real flavour, the texture. Sure winemaking smarts are key, it's that innate sense of touch that allows a cluey vigneron to layer in the kind of character this has that makes the real difference. Is it a Light Red or a Rosé? Who cares, it just an ace wine.
$43
$40ea in any 3+
$37ea in any 6+
Refined Perfumed Goodness!

TeMata Estate Awatea Cabernet Merlot 2018

Red Blend | New Zealand, Hawke's Bay

The Awatea is a fantastic introduction to the Te Mata Estate wines. You get the supreme craftsmanship of a family owned winery with over a century of experience making wines in this region, some of the best fruit in NZ and so much history. Little sister to the Coleraine, this also a Bordeaux blend - the 2018 is made up of 48% cabernet sauvignon, 37% merlot, 15% cabernet franc. The wine gives ripe blackberry and blackcurrant aromatics with elements of vanilla creme and sandalwood. On the palat
$50
$47ea in any 3+
$44ea in any 6+

Castello dei Rampolla Chianti Classico 2018

Red Blend | Tuscany, Chianti Classico

Is it traditional Chianti Classico? No. Is it bloody good? YES!! A cooler year than 2016 delivery a refined personality. Wow! Talk about personality. Many in Chianti just can't get the blend with Cab and Merlot right. Castello dei Rampolla are smashing it. Thirst quenching with beautiful juicy fruit and acid. The tannins of the Cabernet come through, they're edgy, and, wonderfully so. Will be great to see this in 5 years time! Subtly layered oak. Like 2016 this is a wild crazy beast with a so
$67
$64ea in any 3+
$61ea in any 6+
The term "Rosso Toscano" usually indicates an inexpensive wine made for everyday drinking. But in this case, the wine is essentially a Super Tuscan, made from a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Not a drop of Sangiovese, but it's unmistakably Tuscan — intense and concentrated, with a seductive tonal palate and enough body and tannic grip to age and evolve. The second label of Tenuta di Trinoro, Le Cupole was first produced in 1995. It is a blend of Cabern
$70
$67ea in any 3+
$64ea in any 6+

Te Mata Estate Coleraine 2019

Bordeaux Blend | New Zealand, Hawke's Bay

Perfumed Refined Goodness! TeMate make a Cracking Cabernet blend. Demonstrating the immense potential of Cabernet in Hawke’s Bay. It’s more Bordeaux like than most Aussie Cabernet. The texture, balance and core of fruit combine to delivery a wine of great finesse. Post fermentation and quality fruit result in long fine tannins and persistence of delicious fresh fruit flavours. 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot Wonderful perfume, savoury tobacco-laced and floral at once, cocoa, blue,
$146
$141ea in any 3+
$136ea in any 6+

Castello dei Rampolla ‘Sammarco’ 2018

Red Blend | Tuscany, Chianti Classico

Apparently I haven't been trying the right Cabernet based blends from Italy. I used to bag them. Now I'm finding so much pleasure with so many of them! Cabernet & Merlot power through in the Sammarco with Sangiovese playing a supporting role. A fascinating wine. Don't think of it as Cabernet from Bordeaux or Australia, think of it an excellent red wine. A lovely core of sweet black fruit is wrapped in playful, appropriately edgy tannins with just the right amount of grip. It's rustic, no I d
$153
$146ea in any 3+
$139ea in any 6+

Te Mata Estate Coleraine 2021

Bordeaux Blend | New Zealand, Hawke's Bay

Perfumed Refined Goodness! A single vineyard wine until 1989, Coleraine is an blend of the finest wines produced from distinct plots within Te Mata Estate’s oldest Havelock Hills vineyards, first planted in 1892. Always a cabernet sauvignon dominant wine, often with merlot and cabernet franc, Coleraine is refined and classical, demonstrating the immense potential for Bordeaux blends in Hawke’s Bay. In fact, it looks mroe Bordelais than most Aussie Cabernet. Very powerful in its youth, t
$155
$150ea in any 3+
$145ea in any 6+

Te Mata Estate Coleraine 2022

Bordeaux Blend | New Zealand, Hawke's Bay

**DUE 1st Week March** A single vineyard wine until 1989, Coleraine is an blend of the finest wines produced from distinct plots within Te Mata Estate’s oldest Havelock Hills vineyards, first planted in 1892. Always a cabernet sauvignon dominant wine, often with merlot and cabernet franc, Coleraine is refined and classical, demonstrating the immense potential for Bordeaux blends in Hawke’s Bay. In fact, it looks mroe Bordelais than most Aussie Cabernet. Very powerful in its youth, th
$157
$152ea in any 3+
$147ea in any 6+

San Leonardo 2016

Red Blend | Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

Filled with personality this is an exceptional Bordeaux blend from Trentino. Subtle lick of very good oak wrapping this on first pour. Coffee, mocha at play over a cassis and tobacco background. This has the classic hallmarks of San Leonardo in Harmony with just a little more oak. It falls into place very quickly with just moments in the glass, the wine comes together and fruit generosity builds. The overwhelming sensibility is of fresh energetic fruit that has been developed beautifully pre-bo
$247
$237ea in any 3+
$227ea in any 6+

Grattamacco Bolgheri Rosso Superiore 2019

Red Blend | Tuscany, Bolgheri

The 2019 Grattamacco has excellent fruit, lovely harmony, very sophisticated. A richness that is beautifully weighted. The density of Bolgheri without being over the top. They use tiny wooden fermenters. From a maker's perspective small fermenters like these give you great feel and make it easy to handle the skins gently extracting as much or as little as you wish. This goes a long way to explaining the superfine long tannin with a Cabernet feel of the 2019 Grattamacco. Sangiovese componen
$250
$240ea in any 3+
$230ea in any 6+
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Te Mata Estate Coleraine MAGNUM 2020

Bordeaux Blend | New Zealand, Hawke's Bay

Only a handful for the Country! Perfumed Refined Goodness! A single vineyard wine until 1989, Coleraine is an blend of the finest wines produced from distinct plots within Te Mata Estate’s oldest Havelock Hills vineyards, first planted in 1892. Always a cabernet sauvignon dominant wine, often with merlot and cabernet franc, Coleraine is refined and classical, demonstrating the immense potential for Bordeaux blends in Hawke’s Bay. In fact, it looks mroe Bordelais than most Aussie Cabernet.
$320
$310ea in any 3+
$300ea in any 6+

Te Mata Estate Coleraine MAGNUM 2021

Bordeaux Blend | Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Perfumed Refined Goodness! A single vineyard wine until 1989, Coleraine is an blend of the finest wines produced from distinct plots within Te Mata Estate’s oldest Havelock Hills vineyards, first planted in 1892. Always a cabernet sauvignon dominant wine, often with merlot and cabernet franc, Coleraine is refined and classical, demonstrating the immense potential for Bordeaux blends in Hawke’s Bay. In fact, it looks mroe Bordelais than most Aussie Cabernet. Very powerful in its youth, t
$355
$340ea in any 3+
$325ea in any 6+
PRE-ARRIVAL

Les Forts de Latour 2018

Bordeaux Blend | Pauillac, Bordeaux

Pre-Arrival Offer & Pricing Closes 3 April 2024 Terms: Payment upon order. Delivery: August-September 2024. The 2018 Les Forts de Latour is made up of 65.6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 0.4% Petit Verdot, with 14.2% alcohol and an IPT (total polyphenol index) of 77. It was aged in 60% new oak. Deep garnet-purple in color, it needs a fair bit of swirling to reveal notions of baked black cherries, cassis and blackberry pie with hints of pencil lead, clove oil, cardamom and alls
PRE-ARRIVAL

Château Latour 1er Cru Classe 2017

Bordeaux Blend | Pauillac, Bordeaux

Pre-Arrival Offer & Pricing Closes 3 April 2024 Terms: Payment upon order. Delivery: August-September 2024. ‘The 2017 Latour is a blend of 92.1% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.8% Merlot and 0.1% Petit Verdot with 13.3% alcohol and an IPT of 66. Deep garnet-purple in color, it starts off a little broody before exploding from the glass with powerful scents of ripe blackcurrants, blackberry pie and preserved black cherries plus touches of cedar chest, fenugreek, cumin seed and charcoal wit