Dalia Kos Merlot 2023
£23.25
The wine
Deep ruby with hints of purple. Lively red fruits and dark cherries on the nose.
Merlot is widely planted across the Balkans, where it ripens readily and gives a softer, plummier wine than in Bordeaux. Dalia work in Bosnia and Herzegovina, sourcing largely from an organically farmed nine-hectare vineyard. The country has made wine since Roman times and is only now becoming familiar to British drinkers, which is much of why the wines are still sensibly priced.
The producer
Dalia
View all Dalia winesDalia is a boutique winery in the Negotin Krajina, a historic wine region in far eastern Serbia where the Timok river meets the Danube. Once a major supplier to the courts of Europe, this ancient corner of the Balkans is enjoying a quiet renaissance. Dalia stands at the forefront of that revival.
The estate works with a fascinating mix of grapes, from international Gewürztraminer and Merlot to the native Balkan Vranac and Gamay. Limestone and sandy soils, warm days and cooling river breezes give the wines both ripeness and freshness. Small-scale, careful farming shapes the range.
In the cellar the approach is modern and clean, letting the character of each grape and the region shine. The whites are aromatic and fresh, the reds ripe, spicy and full of personality. Every wine carries a sense of discovery.
Dalia offers a rare and delicious glimpse of Serbian wine, a region few have tasted yet full of promise. Characterful, well-made and great value, these are wines for the curious drinker.
