What Makes a World-Class Merlot? A Look at Europe’s Best Merlots of 2025

Merlot is finally getting its comeback moment. Once brushed off as the “easy-drinking red,” this grape is now taking centre stage in some of Europe’s most refined, age-worthy wines. And if the Falstaff Best Merlot in Europe 2025 list is anything to go by, we’re witnessing a quiet renaissance – from the hills of Tuscany to the limestone slopes of Hungary’s Villány.

(Full list below)

Forget Everything You Think You Know About Merlot

Blame Sideways if you must, but Merlot has spent the better part of two decades shaking off a reputation for being soft, safe, or forgettable. Today’s top producers are proving just how expressive the grape can be when grown in the right terroir and treated with respect in the cellar.

The best Merlots aren’t just soft or fruit-forward. They’re layered, structured, and compelling, combining dark berries, fine spice, and a mineral lift that rewards patience and air.

Falstaff’s Best Merlots in Europe 2025: Who Made the List?

Every year, Falstaff magazine assembles some of Europe’s most respected tasters to evaluate thousands of wines across categories. For the 2025 Merlot edition, the list is refreshingly diverse:

• Pomerol, Bordeaux – Château Petrus 2022 and Château Le Pin 2023 are textbook examples of Merlot’s grace and gravitas when grown on clay and gravel soils.

• Tuscany, Italy – Masseto 2021, L’Apparita 2020, Messorio 2021 and Vigna Galatrona 2021 showcase the region’s ability to merge Mediterranean power with Old World polish.

• Villány, Hungary – Gere Solus 2021 is the breakout star, with its deep fruit and fine structure standing shoulder to shoulder with the best in Europe.

• Burgenland, Austria – Pöckl Merlot 2021 is proof that cool-climate Merlot can be both plush and precise.

• Ticino, Switzerland – Orrizonte 2019 may be under-the-radar, but it impressed with its mineral clarity and alpine freshness.

Hungary’s Villány Shows Up in Style

When Hungary appears on a list with Bordeaux and Tuscany, people pay attention. And when that wine is a 100% Merlot, without the safety net of blending, you know it must be doing something right.

Gere Solus 2021 from Villány took top honours with Falstaff for its depth and definition: aromas of black cherry, graphite, sweet herbs, and a palate that’s structured but silky. It’s grown on limestone soils, aged in Hungarian oak, and bottled with minimal intervention.

Villány has long been known for Cabernet Franc, but Solus is proof that Merlot thrives there too. This isn’t a flashy fruit bomb, it’s a wine of precision, with power wrapped in elegance.

What to Look for in a Great Merlot (and Where to Find It)

So how do you spot a serious Merlot when shopping in Singapore?

• Look for appellation names – Pomerol, Tuscany, Villány, Burgenland, Ticino.

• Check the winemaking – Single-vineyard sourcing and longer ageing often point (but not always) to serious intent.
  

• Vintage matters – 2020 delivered richness and structure across much of Europe, while 2021 was cooler and more elegant, though more variable in Bordeaux.

Full List: Falstaff’s Best Merlots in Europe 2025

Here are the nine top-rated Merlots that made the 2025 Falstaff list:

• Masseto 2021 (Tuscany, Italy) – Intense, layered, with cassis and graphite. (~SGD 1,150)
• Château Petrus 2022 (Pomerol, France) – Truffle, black cherry, liquorice and sweet spice. Fresh, structured and immensely age-worthy. (~SGD 7,200)
• Le Macchiole Messorio 2021 (Bolgheri, Italy) – Powerful, spicy with blackberry and cedar. (~SGD 390)
• Gere Solus 2021 (Villány, Hungary) – Truffle, cherry and spice. Elegant and fresh. (~SGD 90)
• Pöckl Merlot 2021 (Burgenland, Austria) – Dark berries, nougat, velvet tannins. Complex and long. (~SGD 230)
• Château Le Pin 2023 (Pomerol, France) – Red cherry, florals, intense silkiness and length. (~SGD 6,600+)
• Vigna Galatrona 2021 (Tuscany, Italy) – Earth, blackcurrant, rose petal, cigar box. Plush and savoury. (~SGD 160)
• L’Apparita 2020 (Tuscany, Italy) – Bright blackberry, cedar, floral and honeyed tones. Elegant and balanced with saline lift. (~SGD 390)
• Orrizonte 2019 (Ticino, Switzerland) – Wild cherry, elderberry, tarragon and mineral-savoury depth. Refined and long. (~SGD 115)

Falstaff’s Best Merlot in Europe 2025 is available at falstaff.com.