The Castellare Merlot Poggio ai Merli 2019 represents a monument to Tuscan wine excellence, crafted from pure Merlot grapes grown in a specially positioned vineyard that imparts rare personality and distinction. This exceptional IGT Toscana reveals a deep, vibrant purple color with brilliant clarity, while the complex bouquet showcases intense black fruit aromas of blackberry and blueberry, complemented by raspberry, cherry, and plum notes. Roasted nuances of cocoa, vanilla, and coffee emerge from the careful aging process, creating a harmonious aromatic profile that speaks to the wine's sophisticated character.

Composition: Pure Merlot from specially positioned Tuscan vineyards
Winemaking: Steel tank vinification with controlled temperature fermentation and complete malolactic fermentation
Aging: 24-30 months in 50% new French barriques followed by 12 months bottle refinement

Wine Critic Reviews

Falstaff (94): Clear, intense ruby with a slight purple tinge. Intense and finely marked nose, rich notes of blackberries, blueberries, behind some tobacco and chocolate. Hearty, grippy tannin, shows many layers, of blackberry and cassis, good drive on the finish.

Wine Enthusiast (89): This Merlot offers aromas of roasted coffee bean, toasted oak and vanilla. The assertive palate features blackberry jam, espresso and licorice alongside grainy tannins. Drink through 2025.

Falstaff (92): Intense, rich garnet colour. Enchanting nose of fragrant ripe blackberry, some mint and a hint of oak, followed by a whiff of enamel. Real drive on the palate with grippy, well-integrated woody notes enhancing a good flow. Still very youthful with a smidgen of saltiness on the finish. Would benefit from bottle ageing.

Vinum Wine Magazine (17): The label of this pure Merlot is adorned with a Merlo - a blackbird: Spicy-berry aroma, also tobacco and chocolate notes; powerful texture with pointed acidity and racy tannins, the finish spicy on notes of plum compote. Opulent.

Raffaele Vecchione - WinesCritic.com (92): Dark and intriguing, it slowly reveals itself in the sweet notes of black plums, blackberries, wild violets, sour cherries, and sweet tobacco leaves. Medium-full body, soft and round tannins with no edges and a balanced finish of medium-long persistence. Better from 2021.