Ελληνικά
Merlot is an early-ripening red grape variety originating from western France.
For Merlot Vlassides, grapes are selected from the estate vineyard in the Karamanos area of Koilani, where altitude and microclimate favor balanced ripening of the variety.
This is a classic expression of Merlot, shaped by the conditions of the Cypriot vineyard, with an emphasis on clarity of character and consistency from vintage to vintage.
The wine is aged for one year in oak barrels and for an additional year in bottle before release.
It offers further ageing potential of 6 to 8 years.
Serving temperature: 16–18°C.
MERLOT VLASSIDES
Varieties:
100% Merlot
Soil Composition:
Sandy Clay Loam
Vinification:
The harvest for Merlot takes place at the end of August or at the beginning of September, depending on the vintage. The extraction of phenolic substances lasts from seven to ten days. After the malolactic fermentation, the wine matures in French oak barrels for 12 months.
Organoleptic Characteristics:
- Appearance: Deep ruby colour, with good intensity and youthful purple highlights, indicative of the variety and its stage of development.
- Aromatic and Flavour Characteristic: Medium to medium(+) intensity on the nose, clean and expressive. Dominant aromas of black cherry, plum and blueberry, complemented by floral notes of violet. Secondary aromas of vanilla, caramel and sweet spices derive from ageing in oak barrels. On the palate, flavours of black fruits and plum jam are clearly expressed, while the discreet presence of oak adds complexity without overshadowing the fruit.
- Structure: Full-bodied, with acidity that provides freshness and balance. Tannins are medium to medium(+), ripe and well-structured, with a velvety texture. Alcohol is assessed as medium(+) and well integrated within the overall structure.
- Ageing potential: Good to very good ageing potential, supported by structure, acidity and fruit concentration, with capacity for further development over 6–8 years under appropriate storage conditions.
2022 Harvest Information:
| Ethanol: | 15% vol |
| pH: | 3,45 |
| Total Acidity (H2SO4): |
3,7g/l |
| Reducing Sugars: | 1g/l |
| Rainfall: October until July | 795mm |
| Harvest Temperatures (Μ.Α.) | |
| Lowest: | 16,5°C – (8/2022) |
| Highest: | 31°C – (8/2022) |
2022 Harvest:
The 2022 harvest will be remembered mainly for the very high acidity and low pH presented in the vineyard by almost all international and local grape varieties, white and red, with the sole exception of Xynisteri, which will remain in our memory for its amazing year. But, let’s analyze more thoroughly the factors that determined the harvest of the year 2022.
The total amount of rainfall in our area for the period of October 2021 – September 2022, was approximately 795mm of rain. The month with the most rainfall was December 2021 (317mm of rain), followed by January 2022 (254mm of rain), both months accounting for over 70% of the total rainfall. The last rainfall took place on March 25th, 2022. This resulted in intense abiotic stress during the ripening period due to the lack of water from the end of March. At the same time, this caused the almost excellent health of the plants, due to the absence of favorable conditions for the development of fungal infections.
The winter of 2022 was mildly cold with the average minimum and maximum temperatures being lower than in 2021, throughout the vegetative period. This was a fact that also justified the partial delay of ripening of the winery’s international and indigenous varieties.
The phenological stages in the 2022 harvest were structured as follows:
- Expansion – first 10 days of April
- Flowering – second 10-day period of May
- Veraison – mid-July
- Harvest – beginning of August to mid-October
The low temperatures of July and August of 2022, resulted in slow technological ripening for our white varieties. The white wines of Vlassides Winery for the 2022 harvest are characterized by relatively low alcohol levels, high acidity, low pH and aromatic typicality of each variety, especially for Sauvignon blanc and Assyrtiko.
For Xynisteri, it was a super productive year and this was probably due to the ideal climatic conditions that prevailed during the flowering period. Nevertheless, this variety continues to surprise us with its multifaceted character, depending on the abiotic conditions (soil, climate, altitude, direction, etc.), the biotic environment and the adapted human activities around the vineyard. The expression in aromas and taste of the same variety in different sub-regions in Kilani, often differs noticeably and this gives us extra motive to experiment in the winemaking process every year. This is what we did this year as well.
In the red varieties, the low temperatures at the end of August and September, mainly during the evening hours, had a significant impact on the phenolic ripening of Giannoudi, Agiorgitiko, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varieties. Having excellent quality in raw materials, all that remained to be done was to properly manage the extractions. The winery’s red wines for the 2022 vintage are characterized by a rich phenolic load, voluminous and oily mouthfeel. A big percentage of the 2022 red wines are already in French oak barrels and will remain for maturation for at least 12 months.