Profile

Structure

Bodymedium
Tanninmedium
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishlong
Oaklarge or old casks

Drinking window

Best 3 to 18 years from vintage.

vintage3 yrs18 yrs20 yrs

Critic scores

No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating above is our own.

In the glass

Medium-bodiedMedium tanninHigh acidityDryLong finish

Aroma: dried red cherry, leather, tobacco, dried herbs, iron

Palate: dark plum, blood orange, dusty tannin, saline finish

Indigenous-style Merlot from the Oslavia ponca slopes, vinified the Radikon way with no added yeast and three years in Slavonian botti. Dried red cherry and leather over a dusty, saline-edged finish.

What it pairs with

  • Stinco di maiale Slow-braised pork shank finds a peer in the wine's leather and tobacco depth; medium tannin handles the pork fat.More wines for pork →
  • Wild boar pappardelle Gamey ragù meets the wine's dried-cherry depth; saline finish refreshes between bites.More wines for wild boar →
  • Aged Friulano cheese The mountain cow's cheese mirrors the wine's iron mineral; medium tannin scrubs the cheese fat.More wines for cheese →

With cheese

Latteria Our pick Aged latteria, the 6 to 12 month wheels that are grated or fried into frico, has a compact paste with few, small eyes. A Merlot or Merlot and Cabernet red brings dark fruit and tannin to meet it, and the fat of the paste softens the wine's grip.

History

Radikon's Merlot, vinified in the same low-intervention style as the white extended-maceration line. First vintage 1995 alongside the extended-Ribolla launch.

  1. 1995First low-intervention Merlot vintage

Facts

Producer
Radikon · visiting guide
Grapes
Merlot (100%)
Classification
Venezia Giulia IGT
Oak
Fermented on the skins for around one month in open Slavonian oak vats, then aged around three years in large Slavonian botti before bottling
ABV
13.5%
Price
EUR 55 to 80 at 500 ml retail
Drinking window
3-18 from vintage
First vintage
1995
Organic
ORGANIC CERTIFIED
Vegan
Yes (no animal-derived fining)

Frequently asked about Radikon Merlot

What does Radikon Merlot taste like?

Dried red cherry, leather, tobacco, dried herbs and iron on the nose; dark plum, blood orange, dusty tannin and a saline finish on the palate. Medium-bodied with medium tannin and high acidity.

How does Radikon Merlot differ from a Bordeaux Merlot?

Radikon vinifies in the natural-wine idiom with no added yeasts, no fining and a low-sulphite finish, then ages three years in large Slavonian botti. The result emphasises dried fruit and iron mineral over the plush black plum of conventional Merlot.

When should I drink Radikon Merlot?

Drink between 3 and 18 years from vintage. The wine softens steadily; dried-cherry and leather peak around year 6 to 10.

Tags

cellar worthy dry hidden gem high acid medium body medium tannin merlot mood funky mood savoury occasion cellar occasion dinner party old world organic pairs with aged cheese pairs with game pairs with pasta red sauce pairs with pork price premium still red vegan

Taste it where it is made: tastings near Radikon

Wine tastings and winery visits in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (9) · Wine tours and day trips in Friuli-Venezia Giulia (6)

See all 268 bookable experiences in Friuli-Venezia Giulia

← Back to wines in Friuli-Venezia Giulia