Andriano Merlot Riserva Gant Alto Adige DOC 2021 (750ml) *

Merlot finds a cooler, more mountainous home in Alto Adige (the German-speaking Sudtirol of Italy's north), where the grape tends to keep its freshness alongside its plushness. This is the Riserva bottling called Gant from Andriano, a 2021 that has spent the extra aging a Riserva designation requires before release.

Expect a lift of wild blueberry from the glass, threaded with sweet spice and a note of rubbed sage. The texture is soft and enveloping, full of ripe red and blue fruit that stains the palate, while a tactile mineral edge brings a crunchy sensation toward the end. The finish runs long and lightly structured, its tannins crisp rather than heavy, and a wild berry note lingers after the wine is gone.