RedLead grape in 10
Merlot
The most widely permitted red in the Italian system after Sangiovese, and it turns up in the rules of nearly a hundred appellations. In the northeast it is the everyday red, grown in quantity on the flat land of the Veneto and Friuli and made soft and simple. In Tuscany it does something else entirely, either propping up Sangiovese in a blend or standing alone on clay in Bolgheri.
Worth knowing
Masseto, from a patch of blue clay above Bolgheri, is Merlot, and it is one of the most expensive wines Italy makes. The same grape fills two litre bottles in a Treviso supermarket. Site does all the work.
Where it is allowed94 appellations
Tuscany29
- BolgheriDOCTasted
- Candia dei Colli ApuaniDOCStill hunting
- CarmignanoDOCGStill hunting
- ChiantiDOCGTasted
- Chianti ClassicoDOCGTasted
- Colli dell'Etruria CentraleDOCStill hunting
- Colline LucchesiDOCStill hunting
- CortonaDOCStill hunting
- Grance SenesiDOCStill hunting
- Maremma ToscanaDOCStill hunting
- MontecarloDOCStill hunting
- MontecuccoDOCStill hunting
- Monteregio di Massa MarittimaDOCStill hunting
- MontescudaioDOCStill hunting
- Morellino di ScansanoDOCGStill hunting
- OrciaDOCStill hunting
- ParrinaDOCStill hunting
- PominoDOCTasted
- Rosso della Val di Cornia (Val di Cornia Rosso)DOCGup to 60% combinedStill hunting
- Rosso di MontepulcianoDOCStill hunting
- San GimignanoDOCStill hunting
- Sant'AntimoDOCStill hunting
- SovanaDOCStill hunting
- SuveretoDOCGStill hunting
- Terratico di BibbonaDOCStill hunting
- Terre di CasoleDOCStill hunting
- Terre di PisaDOCStill hunting
- Val d'Arno di Sopra (Valdarno di Sopra)DOCStill hunting
- Val di CorniaDOCStill hunting
Veneto15
- ArcoleDOCStill hunting
- Bagnoli di Sopra (Bagnoli)DOCStill hunting
- BreganzeDOCStill hunting
- Colli BericiDOCStill hunting
- Colli di ConeglianoDOCGStill hunting
- Colli EuganeiDOClead grapeStill hunting
- Corti Benedettine del PadovanoDOClead grapeStill hunting
- MerlaraDOCStill hunting
- Montello Asolo (Asolo Montello)DOClead grapeStill hunting
- Montello Rosso (Montello)DOCGStill hunting
- Monti LessiniDOCStill hunting
- PiaveDOCStill hunting
- Riviera del BrentaDOClead grapeStill hunting
- VeneziaDOCStill hunting
- VicenzaDOCStill hunting
Friuli-Venezia Giulia9
- Carso (Carso-Kras)DOCStill hunting
- Collio (Collio Goriziano)DOCStill hunting
- Friuli (Friuli Venezia Giulia)DOCStill hunting
- Friuli AnniaDOCStill hunting
- Friuli AquileiaDOCStill hunting
- Friuli Colli OrientaliDOCStill hunting
- Friuli GraveDOCStill hunting
- Friuli IsonzoDOCStill hunting
- Friuli LatisanaDOClead grapeStill hunting