Recanati Reserve Merlot

Recanati Reserve Merlot is a Merlot-dominant red wine from Israel's Upper Galilee region, bottled at 750ml with an ABV of approximately 14%. Winner of the 2016 Golden Cluster Award for Best Merlot and a Silver Medal at the 2022 San Diego International Wine Competition, this reserve-level bottling consistently earns scores in the 88–92 range from critics.

Quick Facts: ABV: ~14%  |  Origin: Upper Galilee, Israel  |  18 Months French Oak  |  Winery: Recanati Winery

Production & Heritage

Recanati Winery, founded in 2000 in Israel's Upper Galilee, sources grapes for this reserve bottling from the Menara Vineyard, situated at elevation in the cooler northern reaches of the country. The fruit — predominantly Merlot with a small addition of Cabernet Sauvignon for structural depth — is hand-selected, de-stemmed, and given a two-day cold soak before fermentation to extract color and aromatic complexity without excessive tannin. The wine then spends 18 months maturing in French oak barrels. What distinguishes Recanati's approach is an Israeli-developed plant monitoring system that integrates climatic data with real-time measurements of soil moisture, water uptake, leaf evaporation, shoot growth, and berry development, allowing the winemaking team to keep vines moderately stressed and produce lower yields of more concentrated fruit.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with layered red berries and cassis, followed by delicate floral notes of rose. Beneath that primary fruit sits a secondary wave of white pepper, cloves, and a distinctive savory thread of green olives.

Taste: On entry, the palate is elegant and full-bodied with ripe red berry and black plum flavors that arrive supple and rounded. The mid-palate deepens into roasted coffee bean, currant, and baking spice notes drawn from the extended French oak maturation. Darker red raspberry and cherry emerge at the peak, framed by balanced natural acidity and local herbal inflections unique to the Upper Galilee terroir.

Finish: The finish is medium-long and spice-driven, with lingering plum skin and subtle oak toast. A gentle tannic grip provides structure without drying out the palate.

How to Drink Recanati Reserve Merlot

This wine shows its full complexity when served at 60–65°F in a large-bowled glass, where the aromatic layers of berry and spice have room to develop. It drinks well on its own or alongside food. A Braised Short Rib preparation benefits from the wine's full body and plum-driven richness. A classic Merlot-based Sangria can leverage its concentrated berry fruit and spice backbone. For a simple warm-weather serve, a lightly chilled pour works alongside a Cheese and Charcuterie Board where the wine's acidity and oak character cut through richness.

Best For

• Exploring high-quality Israeli wines beyond the usual Old World and New World selections
• Pairing with a slow-cooked Shabbat or holiday dinner
• Gifting a wine enthusiast who appreciates terroir-driven, oak-aged reds
• Building a diverse Merlot collection that includes emerging wine regions

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Recanati Reserve Merlot taste like? It delivers a rich, full-bodied profile centered on ripe red berries, black plum, and cassis, with secondary layers of roasted coffee, baking spice, and a distinctive herbal quality from its Upper Galilee origin.

How does Recanati Reserve Merlot compare to Yarden Merlot? Both are premium Merlots from Israel's northern highlands, but Recanati's Reserve undergoes 18 months of French oak aging and draws its fruit specifically from the Menara Vineyard in the Upper Galilee. Yarden, produced by Golan Heights Winery on the Golan plateau, tends to reflect a different microclimate, making side-by-side tasting a useful exercise in Israeli terroir comparison.

Is Recanati Reserve Merlot good for sipping neat? Yes — its balanced acidity, layered aromatics, and medium-long finish make it well-suited for contemplative drinking on its own, especially when given 20–30 minutes to open in the glass.

Where is Recanati Reserve Merlot made? It is produced by Recanati Winery in Israel, using grapes sourced from the Menara Vineyard in the Upper Galilee, one of the country's most regarded grape-growing regions due to its higher elevation and cooler climate.

What foods pair well with Recanati Reserve Merlot? Braised lamb shanks complement the wine's full body and spice notes. Aged hard cheeses like Manchego or Pecorino echo its savory undertones. Grilled portobello mushrooms mirror its earthy depth. Mediterranean-spiced dishes — think za'atar-crusted chicken — align with the wine's herbal character. Dark chocolate desserts pair naturally with its roasted coffee and plum finish.

What sizes does Recanati Reserve Merlot come in? The standard release is a 750ml bottle, which is the most widely available format.

Is Recanati Reserve Merlot worth the price? It positions as a premium reserve-tier Israeli wine, and with consistent critic scores of 88–92 and multiple competition awards, it delivers strong value relative to comparably aged and awarded Merlots from more established regions.

Why Recanati Reserve Merlot?

This wine stands apart through Recanati's precision viticulture — the Israeli-developed plant monitoring technology that manages vine stress at the individual plant level is rarely seen in winemaking at this price tier. The 18-month French oak regimen and hand-selected fruit from the Menara Vineyard produce a Merlot with genuine complexity rather than simple fruit-forward approachability. Its Golden Cluster Award for Best Merlot and consistent critical recognition place it among the strongest expressions of Merlot coming out of the Eastern Mediterranean today. For anyone looking beyond Bordeaux or Napa for serious, terroir-expressive Merlot, this is a bottle that justifies attention.