di Lenardo Merlot Dal Vigneto Vigne Dai Vieris 2017

The Di Lenardo family has cultivated vines in Friuli-Venezia Giulia since the early 1800’s. Quality took a leap forward in 1987, when the estate decided to press only the grapes grown in their vineyards. In 1998, winemaker Massimo di Lenardo personally took charge of the wine production. Emphasis was placed on using only hand-picked, estate grown fruit coupled with new plantings of specially selected varieties, increased density of vines and severe pruning.

Refined methods of vinification, based on physiological ripeness and electronically controlled temperature during the fermentation, improved the quality of the wine. Whole berries are gently crushed in a pneumatic press. After a first racking, the must is transferred to temperature controlled fermentation vats and the wine stays on the lees before bottling. With the exception of Toh! and Sauvignon, all the wines see malolactic fermentation.