Merlot 50 Anni Le Vigne di Zamò 2021

Merlot 50 Years from the Friulian winery Le Vigne di Zamò is an intense, rich, and complex red that enhances the best varietal qualities of one of the most cultivated and loved Bordeaux grape varieties in the world. Arriving in Friuli during the 19th century, like all international grape varieties, it has adapted particularly well to the Colli Orientali area, where it has found a mild climate and suitable soils to express itself at excellent quality levels. A rigorous work among the vines, the naturally low yields of the old vineyards, and a long aging in fine woods, give a red of great charm and longevity.

The wine Merlot 50 Years is one of the flagship products of the Le Vigne di Zamò estate, which manages about 40 hectares in the prestigious areas of Rosazzo, Buttrio, and Rocca Bernarda, in the heart of the Colli Orientali of Friuli. The Merlot grapes come only from the oldest vineyards of the estate, which are at least 50 years old and produce few bunches of remarkable intensity and aromatic concentration. The selected parcels for this label are are located in the hilly area of Buttrio, which offers magnificent sunny exposures, allowing excellent ripening of red berry grapes. The harvest takes place around mid-September, with the selection of the best bunches. The grapes ferment in truncated-conical wooden tanks, with a skin maceration of about three weeks, accompanied by manual punchdowns, pump-overs, and délestage. The wine matures for 18 months in French oak barriques and ages for two years in the bottle before being released on the market.

The red Merlot 50 Years, made by the Le Vigne di Zamò winery, is a splendid interpretation of the noble Bordeaux grape variety, complex and elegant, without exceeding in opulence and excessive softness on the palate. Visually, it presents a rather dark and gloomy red, with slight garnet hues. The olfactory profile is intense and rich, with ripe aromas of cherry, blackberry, black currant, blueberry, notes of delicate spices, licorice root, hints of cocoa, and nuances of medicinal herbs. On the palate, it is broad, warm, and harmonious. With a velvety tannic structure, a pleasant and juicy fruit maturity, a fresh and pleasantly balsamic finish.