Meroi

Meroi Davino is a family-run winery in the Colli Orientali del Friuli wine region, in the municipality of Buttrio. In the late 1980s, Paolo Meroi, a third-generation winemaker, inherited the estate from his father. He continued making wine with his son Damiano.

Paolo's grandfather, Domenico, hid the estate's best wines behind a false wall in the historic cellar during World War II. A soldier accidentally made a hole in the wall with the butt of his rifle but did not look inside, so the wines stayed untouched.

The vineyards have been farmed organically since 2002.

The estate lies on the slopes of Friuli, in the Colli Orientali del Friuli area around Buttrio. Many winemakers regard the area as having the best microclimate in the region: warm days, cool breezes and cool nights. The text compares Friuli to Côte de Beaune in France as a region capable of producing world-class wines.

The soils are sandstone, limestone and marl, with iron and volcanic elements. Because of this composition, the vines must develop extensive root systems to find water in the mineral layers.

The vineyards have been farmed organically since 2002. Harvest timing is watched closely, and the grapes are picked at peak ripeness. Yields are very low, at 25 hl per hectare.

Annual production is about 30,000 bottles. The whites are made from Sauvignon Blanc, Tocai Friulano, Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay. The winery's most complex reds are called "Domenico". Paolo Meroi consults enologist Mirko Degano and Enzo Pontoni of Miani. A historic cellar stands a few meters from the restaurant "Al Parco". It lies 16 feet underground and can only be reached by elevator. The winery says its wines combine complexity with elegance and can age well in bottle.

The winery aims for structured, intense and complex wines that express the character of the local terroir. It holds that its wines combine complexity with elegance and can age in the bottle. Paolo Meroi and his consultants say they work together toward excellent results.