2009 Merlot Buri

Enzo Pontoni continues to make some of the richest, most daring wines in Friuli. Vintages 2011 and 2012 have been challenging, largely because of heat and lack of water. Production is down. Miani fans will note the absence of a few wines in both vintages that weren't bottled because Pontoni did not feel they were up to his exacting standards. I have to wonder if Pontoni's pursuit of low yields is at some point a hindrance given a general trend towards warmer growing seasons that makes it hard for Pontoni to make the tense, energetic, mineral-driven wines he seeks. Although the Miani wines are incredibly appealing young, both the whites and reds benefit from time in bottle. The 2011 whites are just starting to drink now, while the 2012s need at least another year in bottle. A recent magnum of the 2009 Sauvignon Banel was exceptional, with perfumes that literally filled the room as the bottle was being poured. Readers might also enjoy this short video covering a handful of these new releases .

Miani is one of the crown jewels in the world of wine. Proprietor Enzo Pontoni excels with a range of both whites and reds that are typically monumental. That is the good news. The bad news is that Pontoni releases a mere 8,000 bottles from 18 hectares of vineyards, which means the wines are very hard to source. Yields are tiny and selection is Draconian, first in the vineyards and later in the cellar, where Pontoni is especially demanding when it comes what goes into the bottle. Last year I reported on a once in a lifetime vertical of Miani's Merlot. This time around the focus was on the estate's rarest wine, Calvari. Once again the results were stratospheric. I also had a chance to preview the 2009s, which have developed beautifully since I started following them in the vineyards last summer. Miani's wines are always nearly impossible to find, but in 2009 they are worth the extra effort.

Calvari is made from Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso, an indigenous Friulian red grape that in Pontoni's hands scales heights previously thought to be unimaginable. In his first vintages Pontoni made just one barrel of Calvari, although more recently production has doubled to a whopping two barrels. The estate's Refosco vineyards are located in Buttrio, one of the most picturesque villages in Friuli once you get off the main drag and travel through the unpaved roads behind the center of town. Over the last few years I have become convinced that Buttrio holds some of the noblest terroirs in northern Italy for fine, world-class whites and reds. Sadly, the number of growers who are maximizing the potential of these superb sites is but a handful. Consider that the commune of Buttrio encompasses approximately 200 hectares of vineyards. That number grows to 250 when you include the vineyards of neighboring Premariacco and Manzano that share a boundary with Buttrio. Of these 250 hectares, roughly 100 are prime, hillside plots, yet few producers are making wines that are worthy of these vineyards. But that is a story for another day. Pontoni's Refosco holdings are composed of two contiguous pre-World War II parcels on steep terraces with a total surface area of less than a hectare. These are some of the most beautiful, pristine vineyards I have ever seen. Refosco is a naturally vigorous, rustic grape that Pontoni has tamed (as much as possible) through meticulous work in the vineyard. Most growers, even those who pay strict attention to yields, could produce 4,000 bottles or so from these plots – Pontoni makes 600. In many ways, this tasting encompassed the entirety of Pontoni's experience with Refosco, as he has pretty much wrought every ounce of potential from the grape. Not surprisingly, Pontoni is planting Merlot, a variety he considers far nobler, in all of his newer vineyards.

History buffs may remember that Miani made a simple Refosco meant to be enjoyed young in the early years spanning 1990-1992. There was no Refosco in 1993 and 1994. The first vintage of Calvari was 1995 and the wine has been made every year since then except 2000 and 2005, both of which were compromised by hail. Over the years Pontoni has gradually moved to harvesting slightly earlier than he did in the 1990s in order to preserve more freshness in the wines. Calvari is always aged in 100% new French oak, all of which it carries with grace. A number of vintages were tasted from magnum, a format that is not available commercially, although I am told that may change this year.