Merlot

The French “relative” of Cabernet Sauvignon

An international red grape variety with origins in West France, which matures earlier than other varieties and has many more positive aspects.

Its name derives from the French word “merle”, which means blackbird and it is the bird which shows an inclination towards the sweet berries of Merlot. It is considered to be “relative”, but also the variety that pairs well with Cabernet Sauvignon, since it is often used to soften its tannins.

Merlot wine grape variety used in many of Domaine Glinavos wines

Characteristics

Its velvety taste with soft tannins and its fruity aromas (strawberry, blackberry) and spices (cinnamon, clove) categorize the wines that contain Merlot among the top ones. The aging in oak barrels gives them extra aromas and flavours of vanilla and caramel. Their interesting varietal characters are easily identified since they are very distinct.

Merlot can be cultivated almost everywhere but, because it has the tendency to outperform losing in complexity and density, it is of paramount importance that the yield per hectare is kept low. In our vineyards in Zitsa it holds a significant position and it is cultivated in low yields per hectare of 700kg. The wines of “Domaine Glinavos” that contain a particular percentage of Merlot in their composition are Dryades and Apiros Hora (red).