×
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $261.84
Rated 99 - This is a phenomenal pure merlot with blueberries, raspberries and hints of milk chocolate. Some nutmeg...
JS
99
VM
95
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $304.40
Rated 98 - The violets and blackberries show wonderfully on the nose here, yet this remains subtle and complete with...
JS
98
WA
97
Sale
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $183.95 $193.50
Rated 99 - The violets and flowers with some asphalt and blackberries are so enticing on the nose. Green olives, too....
JS
99
WA
97
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $2658.95
Rated 96 - It is always special to taste a winemaker’s first wines, and tasting the 2005 Masseto alongside Axel...
JS
96
JD
96
Sale
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $430.95 $453.43
Rated 97 - This has gorgeous aromas of walnuts, chocolate, spiced plums, licorice and grilled herbs. Rich and chewy...
JS
97
DC
95
Sale
Long-term Pre-Arrival
Red
1.5Ltr - 1 Bottle
Bottle: $407.95 $429.79
Rated 98 - Aromas of walnuts and bark with some toasted oak and red fruit. Tapenade and violets, too. Changes all the...
JS
98
DC
97

Merlot Italy Tuscany 1.5Ltr

With its dark blue colored fruits and high juice content, Merlot varietal grapes have long been a favorite of wine producers around the globe, with it being found in vineyards across Europe, the Americas and elsewhere in the New World. One of the distinguishing features of Merlot grapes is the fact that they have a relatively low tannin content and an exceptionally soft and fleshy character, meaning they are capable of producing incredibly rounded and mellow wines. This mellowness is balanced with plenty of flavor, however, and has made Merlot grapes the varietal of choice for softening other, more astringent and tannin-heavy wines, often resulting in truly exceptional produce. Merlot is regarded as one of the key 'Bordeaux' varietals for precisely this reason; when combined with the drier Cabernet Sauvignon, it is capable of blending beautifully to produce some of the finest wines available in the world.

There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.

The central Italian region of Tuscany is widely understood to be one of the world's most famous and highly regarded wine regions. The beautiful rolling hillsides and medieval towns and castles which are a key feature of the area are also home to many of Europe's finest wineries, and extremely high quality vineyards growing the distinctive Sangiovese and Vernaccia grape varietals which are the flavorful backbone of Tuscany's wonderful red and white wines. For almost three thousand years, this region has been recognized as an ideal home for wine production on a large scale, and the ancient Etruscans, Greeks and Romans all noticed that fine grape varietals flourished on the unique soils and under the hot sunshine which typifies the area. Today, Tuscany is home to a wide range of wines, from the traditional to the complex, but all dedicated to excellent flavors and aromas, and maintaining the region's international reputation.