2006 Merlot Buri

Miani is one of the very finest wineries in the world. This tiny estate is located in Buttrio, a small town in the Colli Orientali appellation in Friuli that contains one of the finest perhaps the finest terroir for pedigreed, ageworthy wines in northeastern Italy. When I meet a grower with proprietor Enzo Pontoni's passion for the vine I often wish every vintage could be a great vintage. If quality could be assigned based on sheer effort and dedication every vintage here would be profound. Pontoni releases just 7,500 - 8,000 bottles per year from 23 hectares of vineyards. Many of his plots are old-vine, terraced vineyards with superb exposure. I tasted Tocai, Merlot and Refosco from various parcels in August 2009 came away deeply impressed by the sheer integrity of the fruit. Sadly, 2008 is a mixed bag at this illustrious property. The wet spring and ensuing bouts with peronospora left Pontoni with a difficult choice; either treat aggressively to try to save the year's crop but risk the longer-term damage to the vineyards from excessive spraying, or let nature have her way in 2008, but preserve the health of the plants for 2009 and beyond. Ultimately Pontoni chose the latter, which meant renouncing a significant amount of fruit in 2008. There is no Ribolla, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Saurint and the production of reds will be tiny even by Pontoni's standards. The 2008 whites are certainly pretty, but they lack the kaleidoscopic quality that informs the very finest vintages. The 2006 reds are without question the highlight of these new releases. Both Merlots are exceptional, which bodes quite well for the Rosso Calvari, a wine that will be released next year. Readers who want to learn more about Miani may want to check out my recent feature on this site.

Miani is one of Italy's cult properties, and with good reason. Proprietor Enzo Pontoni crafts some of the most profound, monumental wines readers are likely to come across. The range includes a number of compelling whites, two phenomenal Merlots and an equally majestic Refosco, the legendary Rosso Calvari, all made in miniscule quantities. Incredibly, this was the first comprehensive vertical tasting Pontoni had ever held of his Merlots. Because bottles have become extremely scarce – even in Pontoni's own cellar – a number of wines were tasted from magnum, a format that is not commercially available. To say this was unforgettable tasting would be a colossal understatement, as the wines were brilliant in every way.

Enzo Pontoni represents the very finest of the Italian vigneron spirit. Originally trained as an engineer, Pontoni spent the first part of his career working in many of Italy's largest cities, a cosmopolitan life that seems like another world compared to these humble, agrarian surroundings. Shake his hand though, and it is clear Pontoni is a man of the land. Despite his lack of formal training, Pontoni seems to be blessed with a prodigious, innate talent for understanding his vineyards. He is intensely critical of his own wines to a degree I have rarely seen in another producer and his excruciatingly high standards are the stuff of legend in the parts. The wines only go into bottle when Pontoni feels they are exceptional. Accordingly, there was no Merlot in 1995, 1996, 2003 or 2005. Virtually all of the emphasis at Miani is on the vineyards. Pontoni's philosophy relies on old vines, tiny yields and a maniacal dedication to the land. The winemaking facilities and cellar are as stripped-down as possible. Among the items of interest are several farming tools Pontoni designed and built on his own. Otherwise, the winery itself is unremarkable. Pontoni farms a number of tiny Merlot parcels in the towns of Rosazzo and Buttrio, both in the Colli Orientali appellation in Friuli. The early Merlots were made from a combination of fruit from Rosazzo and Buttrio, but in 2004 Pontoni began experimenting with bottling the wines separately; giving birth to his Merlots Filip (Rosazzo) and Buri (Buttrio). The Filip is generally rounder and more immediate while the Buri is firmer, fresher and more structured, with greater overall complexity. I consider the Merlot Buri to be one of the most profound expressions of Merlot on the planet.

Pontoni's first commercial release was 1987. The early reds were made in a relatively fresh style. It would be a few years, until 1993 or so, before Pontoni's work in the vineyards would give him the raw materials to make the style of rich, complex wines consumers are familiar with today. In the following years Pontoni sought a super-ripe style supported by lengthy periods of aging in new oak, an approach that was in fashion throughout Italy during the mid to late 1990s. Since then he has moved to slightly earlier harvests, gentler extractions and reduced the period of oak aging, all choices that have left the wines with more freshness, detail and textural elegance than was sometimes the case in the past. Pontoni's Merlots are still building their track records, but judging by this and other tastings, they are more than living up to the potential my high scores have suggested over the years.