Chris BerryFounder, Wine Underdogs — chasing the world’s overlooked grapesDisclosure: some links here are affiliate links — if you buy through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Learn more
Merlot is the red everyone learned on and half of them quietly went back to. Soft tannins, ripe plum and black cherry, a round and generous body — it asks nothing of you and gives plenty. A film made it a punchline twenty years ago, and the grape has been apologizing for a crime it didn't commit ever since.
If that plush, low-friction style is what you actually want in a glass, you don't have to keep buying the same label. Two underdog grapes hit the same soft spot — and hand you a story worth telling at the table.
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Agiorgitiko — the Greek charmer
Start here. Agiorgitiko, from Nemea in the Peloponnese, is the friendliest serious red in Greece: deep plum and red-cherry fruit, sweet spice, soft and rounded tannins, medium acidity. It drinks like a good Merlot's more interesting cousin — same comfort, more perfume. The name is a mouthful (ah-yor-YEE-tee-ko); the wine is not.
One honest caveat: Agiorgitiko can be made in a cheap, jammy style that's as forgettable as bulk Merlot. Steer toward Nemea and a real producer and it rewards you. Read the Agiorgitiko deep dive →
Mencía — the fragrant one
If you want the softness with a lift of freshness, Mencía is your bottle. From Bierzo and Galicia in northwest Spain, it's juicy and medium-bodied, with violet and red-berry perfume over gentle tannin — approachable like Merlot, but brighter and more aromatic. It's the one to pour for someone who finds big reds tiring. Read the Mencía deep dive →
How to choose
Want the closest match to Merlot's plush, plummy comfort? Agiorgitiko — rounder, riper, built for the same easy evenings. Want the same softness with more scent and freshness? Mencía — lighter on its feet. Either one proves the point Merlot has been making all along: an easy red doesn't have to be a boring one.
Want a wider map of the overlooked? Start with the Underdog Starter List — ten bottles under $25 worth chasing.
Frequently asked questions
What wine is most like Merlot?
Agiorgitiko, from Nemea in Greece, is the closest easy-drinking match — soft tannins, ripe plum and cherry, and a round body, with a little more perfume than most Merlot.
Is there a Spanish wine that tastes like Merlot?
Mencía, from Bierzo and Galicia in northwest Spain, is approachable like Merlot but brighter and more aromatic — juicy and medium-bodied, with violet and red-berry notes over gentle tannin.
Are these cheaper than Merlot?
Often, yes. Both grapes are still overlooked, so good bottles tend to cost less than equivalent Merlot. Look for Nemea for Agiorgitiko or Bierzo for Mencía, and a real producer.
How do you pronounce Agiorgitiko?
Ah-yor-YEE-tee-ko. The name scares people off; the wine is friendly.