# Merlisco Reserva Merlot (2021)

- **Producer:** Viñedos El Paraiso
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Merlot
- **Region:** Central Valley, Chile
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €13
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** plum, cherry, redcurrant, vanilla, coconut, chocolate, coffee

## About this wine

Merlisco is an innovative concept wine produced by Viñedos El Paraiso, a registered brand of Bodegas y Viñedos de Aguirre, in partnership with Terra Bendita. Located in the Villa Alegre sub-region of Chile's Maule Valley, the estate benefits from a Mediterranean climate with warm days and cool nights. The name 'Merlisco' is a playful portmanteau of Merlot and Pisco, representing a creative bridge between Chile's traditional winemaking heritage and its national grape-spirit culture. This wine was designed to shake up traditional expectations and offer a highly conversational, crowd-pleasing sensory experience.

## Interesting facts

- The name 'Merlisco' is a playful portmanteau of Merlot and Pisco, bridging wine and spirits cultures.
- It is aged for six months in authentic Chilean Pisco barrels, a pioneering finishing technique.
- The producer, Viñedos El Paraiso, is a registered fantasy name of the family-owned Bodegas y Viñedos de Aguirre.

## Food pairing

The wine's medium body, soft tannins, and off-dry profile with vanilla-coffee notes complement rich, creamy dishes and slightly sweet-savory combinations. The creamy textures of pasta or cheese balance the oak influence, while the subtle sweetness of honey mustard or roasted meats harmonizes with the Pisco barrel characteristics.

## Wine making process

The grapes are hand-harvested at optimal maturity from flat-plain vineyards in Villa Alegre, featuring alluvial sandy-clay loam soils. Following destemming and crushing, the juice undergoes controlled-temperature fermentation in stainless steel tanks to preserve the fresh, primary fruit characteristics of Merlot. The defining technical feature of this wine is its aging process: it is matured for six months in oak barrels previously used to age authentic Chilean Pisco. This unique finishing technique infuses the wine with exotic spirit-derived top notes while maintaining a soft, approachable structure.