I Clivi Merlot 2022

I Clivi’s Merlot is crafted from carefully selected grapes and aged for 12 months in used oak barriques. Its deep ruby-red color reveals aromas of red berries, while the palate offers a fresh, juicy, and slightly balsamic sip.

The grapes used for this Merlot come from a vineyard composed of old vines, some of which are up to 80 years old. The soil is clay-rich, with a deep, compact layer of limestone bedrock—a combination that lends the wine its characteristic salinity and freshness. The vineyard is located near the winery itself, in the area of Corno di Rosazzo in the province of Udine, close to the Slovenian border and just above the provinces of Gorizia and Collio.

The vineyard is managed following organic farming principles, with manual vineyard work and harvesting that result in low yields of perfectly ripe grapes. After gentle pressing, alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks using only indigenous yeasts, with simultaneous skin maceration. Malolactic fermentation also occurs spontaneously, both at controlled temperatures.

The wine is then aged in oak barriques for 12 months, and finally bottled without any invasive treatments, preserving its natural expression.

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ABOUT

Ferdinando Zanusso lived and worked in Africa for forty years, before returning to Italy and his wife’s hometown. Here in Corno di Rosazzo, Gramogliano, he founded I Clivi in the mid-1990s. Shortly after its founding, his son Mario joined him in the winery where he continues to oversee all aspects of the vineyards and winemaking. Ferdinando and Mario share a vision to showcase Friuli’s prized terroir and unique, singular expressions of Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Cabernet Franc, and Schioppettino.

In the Friulian regions of Colli Orientali and Collio, I Clivi works with vines in excess of eighty years from impossibly steep vineyards. Organic farming and manual harvests coupled with low yields, produce grapes of intense flavor and character. Friuli’s famed clay soils (Ponca in local dialect) add the rich texture, minerality, and bright acidity that is characteristic of the best-made wines in this northeastern Italian region.

Mario’s winemaking style begins in the vineyards, first supporting the growth of healthy, mature fruit. In the winery, grapes are softly pressed so as to not over extract, and a combination of stainless steel and concrete vats are used for the élevage. I Clivi’s wines are exceptionally elegant and polished, clear expressions of their striking terroir.