8 editor-picked estates growing Merlot in Veneto.
Where to taste Merlot in Veneto: the estates that grow it, how the region expresses the grape, and how to book a visit.
The defining estate of Breganze DOC in Vicenza, founded by the Maculan family in 1947. Fausto Maculan's Torcolato dessert wine from dried Vespaiola grapes and the Bordeaux-blend Fratta are the zone's most celebrated bottles.
Tasting: Visits and tastings at the Breganze cellar; Torcolato dessert wine and Fratta flagship poured.
Signature wines: maculan-torcolato, maculan-fratta, maculan-acininobili
Francesco Serafini and Antonello Vidotto established this Treviso estate in 1986, pioneering quality Bordeaux-variety production on the Montello hills. Il Rosso dell'Abazia is their flagship DOCG red.
Tasting: Visits and tastings at Nervesa della Battaglia by appointment.
Signature wines: serafini-vidotto-il-rosso-dell-abazia, serafini-vidotto-phigaia
Situated in the medieval village of Arqua Petrarca on the Euganean Hills, Vignalta is a benchmark producer for the Colli Euganei Fior d'Arancio DOCG passito from Moscato Giallo and the red Gemola IGT.
Tasting: Visits and tasting at Arqua Petrarca; the Fior d'Arancio DOCG and Colli Euganei reds are the focus.
Signature wines: vignalta-fior-darancio-passito, vignalta-gemola
A leading producer of Piave DOC wines including the rare Raboso Piave, the zone's autochthonous red grape. The Cescon family has championed Raboso's rehabilitation in the Venetian plains since the 1960s.
Tasting: Visits and tastings at Ormelle by appointment; Raboso Piave and varietal range poured.
Signature wines: italo-cescon-raboso-piave, italo-cescon-il-tralcetto-pinot-grigio
A family estate on the glacial morainic amphitheater south of Lake Garda at Custoza. The estate specialises in crisp, food-friendly Bianco di Custoza DOC from Garganega, Trebbiano and Cortese.
Tasting: Tasting visits at the morainic estate in Custoza by appointment.
Signature wines: gorgo-bianco-di-custoza, gorgo-merlot-garda
The Piccoli family estate at Valeggio sul Mincio on the morainic rim of Lake Garda produces a fresh, saline Bianco di Custoza DOC alongside an interesting Garda Cabernet from south-shore hillside vineyards.
Tasting: Tasting visits at the Valeggio sul Mincio estate; bookable online.
Signature wines: corte-gardoni-bianco-di-custoza, corte-gardoni-le-fontane-garda-cabernet
Celestino Gaspari's Zyme winery is carved into a 15th-century sandstone quarry. The tasting room inside the quarry maintains constant temperature and presents 6+ Zyme wines including single-vineyard Valpolicella, Ripasso, Amarone, and blended IGT expressions. Highly rated; book one week ahead.
Tip: The Kairos blend (15 grape varieties) is Gaspari's philosophical statement about Valpolicella terroir - the most unusual pour in the tasting.
Massimago's estate tasting in the Mezzane Valley combines a walk through certified organic vineyards with a visit to the historic Amarone ageing cellar. The estate produces certified organic Valpolicella, Ripasso, and Amarone. Mezzane is an emerging sub-zone rarely covered by standard Veneto wine tours.
Tip: The organic certification and Mezzane sub-zone origin are the differentiators here - ask about the estate's transition to biodynamics.