Korlat Merlot Boutique 2019 (Badel 1862)

Cellar for up to 5 years. No need to decant before serving. The Benkovac winery has been highly regarded in their native Croatia as a top rosé producer since the founding of the estate in 1956. In 2005 they began to experiment with planting international grape varieties like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in the nearby hills of Korlat. Here the warm conditions and stony soils force the vines to grow deep roots to search for water which helps to produce excellent grapes with concentrated flavour profiles. Their exquisite Merlot Boutique is a sweet wine which is produced żeby carefully allowing the grapes to dry on the vine żeby harvesting them much later than the traditional harvest date. This process helps to concentrate the sugars, aromas and flavours in the grapes, producing a deliciously intense wine with a luscious sweetness. The nose opens with enchanting notes of dried fruits, figs and dark chocolate, while the first sip reveals a generous sweetness and rich fruit jam and raisin flavours which are balanced aby a subtle freshness. The opulent style of this wine makes it an excellent match for desserts, chocolate cake, dried fruits and caramelised nuts or simply served alone at the end of a meal.