Ελληνικά
Merlot is a an early ripening red variety, with origins from western France.
The grapes for Vlassides Merlot come from the vineyard at Karamanos area in Kilani, owned by Vlassides Winery. This is a rich, velvety red wine with a deep reddish purple colour.
The wine matures for one year in oak barrels followed by one year in bottle.
With the potential to mature for an additional six to eight years.
Best served at 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 twelve months.
Organoleptic Characteristics:
- Visual aspects: Intense ruby color.
- Aromas and taste: The aromas that instantly stand out are mainly reminiscent of ripe forest fruit, sour cherry, sweet spices such as cinnamon, vanilla and tobacco. In the mouth, the aromatic sensation revolves around spicy notes.
- Structure: The moderate acidity in combination with the moderately intense tannins and its relatively full body, give a velvety texture to its long aftertaste.
- Ageing potential: Up to 8 years.
2021 Harvest Information:
| Ethanol: | 15% vol |
| pH: | 3,46 |
| Total Acidity (H2SO4): |
3,7g/l |
| Reducing Sugars: | 2,8g/l |
| Rainfall: October until July | 547mm |
| Harvest Temperatures (Μ.Α.) | |
| Lowest: | 19,5°C – (8/2021) |
| Highest: | 35°C – (8/2021) |
2021 Harvest:
2021 harvest, was an average year for the winery’s international varieties and a relatively late year for our indigenous varieties. Because of these reasons, there was a dose of truth in the joke we made to each other when we were receiving the grapes, that the 2021 harvest was actually two harvests in one! But, let’s see in detail the factors that played a decisive role in the 2021 harvest.
The total amount of rainfall in our area for the period of October 2020 to July 2021, was quite low (about 545mm of rain). The month with the most rainfall was January 2021 (264mm rain). The last rainfall took place on April 10, 2021. In terms of average minimum and maximum temperatures throughout the vegetation period, they were higher than in 2020, with the exception of September 2021, which justifies the partial later ripening in the native varieties.
The phenological stages in the 2021 harvest were as follows:
- Bud-break: First 10 days of April
- Flowering: First 10 days of May
- Veraison: In mid-July
- Ripening period – Harvest: Early August to mid-October
Some of the conclusions that emerged were that the intense abiotic stress from the high temperatures of May, accelerated flowering and reduced production due to a lower degree of fruit set. The increased temperatures of July and August yielded a rapid ripening of healthy grapes. The lower temperatures, especially during the evenings, helped the smooth phenolic maturation of the red varieties.
Each harvest season, the team at Vlassides winery aim to produce wines with the typicality of each variety. However, the aromatic and flavorful expression of the same variety, in different sub-regions, often differs. This is due to differences in soil-climatic conditions, the living environment and the adapted human activities and situations.
Testing the white wines from the tanks and barrels from specific vineyards of the same varieties after the end of the alcoholic fermentations, we found to a large extent the difference between them. When it comes to our wines which are intended for blend (eg. Grifos 2, Sauvignon blanc, Alates), this gave an additional boost in regards to the aromas and taste.
Right now, the winery’s red wines show a balance between alcohol, acidity and body, which is complemented by the intense phenolic load. Special mention should be made of the Shiraz of 2021, which due to the significantly reduced production of grapes, the wine presents an excellent concentration. In general, we hope to have red wines of deep aging, which were developed from the very good vintage of 2021.