Merlot. Pure and unblended. We understand if some might be tempted to scroll past this wine. We won’t attempt to convert you or champion Merlot—it’s simply a fact that Davide Spillare crafts an exceptional version of this grape. Whether it’s due to the natural conditions of Gambellara or the unique biotype of Merlot that has developed there over centuries, we’re not entirely sure. But it’s safe to say that both factors, coupled with Davide’s meticulous work in the vineyard and cellar, are key to this wine’s distinctiveness.
Davide relies on manual labor, biodynamic farming, and well-nurtured, living soils in his vineyard. Targeted canopy management and selective harvesting ensure only the best grapes make it to the cellar. There, he pursues a slow, careful, and minimally interventionist winemaking approach (while acknowledging that winemakers inevitably make choices about maceration time, fermentation temperature, vessel selection, and aging duration).
His Merlot ferments spontaneously in open wooden vats and matures for over a year in 500-liter neutral barrels. He refrains from adding or removing anything, avoiding filtration, fining, and sulfites. The result is a Merlot imbued with individuality and character—something rare for such a widely planted grape.
Style
Spicy, meaty, and herbal, with dark fruit aromas and hints of forest floor and foliage. On the palate, it starts soft and juicy, then evolves into an elegant, focused wine with a linear structure and persistent tannins in the background. Dense, complex, and demanding.
Technical Details
- Grape Variety: Merlot
- Cultivation: According to Vinnatur principles
- Vineyard Soil: Clay and volcanic rock
- Harvest: Hand-picked
- Fermentation: Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts in open wooden vats
- Aging: 1 year in used 500-liter barrels
- Filtration: None
- SO₂: Unsulfured
- Alcohol Content: Not specified
- Closure: Natural cork
- Serving Temperature: 16–18°C
- Ideal Drinking Window: Now–2028
- Volume and Price per Liter: 0.75 l (€24.87/l)
All winemakers listed by Vinonudo cultivate their vineyards using compost, organic fertilizers, and natural preparations, avoiding herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers.
