Danzante Merlot 2002
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Danzante is a fascinating wine story with a warm soul, whose passion and openness naturally reveal the taste of Italian heritage and charm.
Conceived to praise daily moments, Danzante moves the senses of all wine lovers who wish to experience a one-of-a-kind feeling of joy and delight. Along a 20-year journey, Danzante guarantees a heartfelt approach to production, crafting products distinguished by authentic Italian winemaking expertise.
The beautiful Tuscan landscape is the cradle of the traditional variety behind Danzante Chianti and Toscana Rosso, while the Tre Venezie region gives birth to the lush selection of Danzante Pinot Grigio white wine and Prosecco.
Live Danzante, live the Italian way of life!
When asked to name common Italian red grapes, most wine drinkers would probably begin with Sangiovese and continue with various other indigenous varieties. But Merlot (along with several other international varieties) has a significant presence in Italy, with over 60,000 acres planted. Granted, much of this is everyday quaffing wine grown in the northeast by producers taking advantage of the vine’s prolific nature, especially in the Veneto and Friuli.
But through much of the country the wine is grown with more care and used predominantly as a blending agent, thereby adding a certain soft, fleshy appeal to a great many reds. Of course, this practice is often not mentioned on labels. In Tuscany, Merlot appears in a wide variety of blends, as well as sometimes in Chianti Classico. In fact, Italian Merlot reaches its greatest heights in the coastal Tuscan region of Maremma. Here it appears in blends and – spectacularly – in 100% varietal expressions like Masseto, L’Apparita and Messorio. Italian Merlots such as these boast the power, concentration and complexity seen in the finest examples from Bordeaux’s Right Bank.