Tenute Tozzi, Franco, Ravenna Merlot 2023

14.5%

The wine is produced from a single one-hectare (2 acre) cru planted in 2014 by the Tozzi family. These high-altitude vines have reached a distinguished age of 12 years old, digging deep into the complex sandstone and clay soils of the Romagna Apennines.

Integrated Viticulture focusing on sustainable agriculture with minimal cellar intervention, completely adapted to the intense diurnal temperature swings of this high-altitude regional park. Driven by a strict, quality-focused artisanal philosophy, all vital vineyard maintenance—including precision winter pruning, green harvesting, and the final selective picking of the Merlot grapes—is performed meticulously by hand to ensure optimal phenolic ripeness and berry integrity.

Hand-harvested grapes are 100% destemmed upon reaching the cellar. The fruit undergoes a gentle prefermentative cold maceration for 48–72 hours to optimize the extraction of vibrant color and plush, varietal aromatics without extracting harsh tannins. This is followed by a temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel tanks at 22–24°C. After a precise 7-day maceration period on the skins, the juice is racked. The wine completes malolactic fermentation entirely in stainless steel, followed by aging on its fine lees in stainless steel tanks for a minimum of 6 months to refine its velvety texture while locking in pristine fruit purity.

Merlot

330 Cases

Emilia Romagna, Italy

The 2023 growing season in Emilia-Romagna began with a cold, dry winter, followed by an unusually warm February that sparked early vegetative activity. Spring brought regular, intense rainstorms that successfully replenished the deep water tables, though a sudden drop in early spring temperatures subsequently delayed budbreak. A particularly wet May demanded rigorous and relentless vineyard intervention to manage canopy health and protect the burgeoning grape clusters. Conditions stabilized beautifully with a warmer-than-average June, though July and August tested the high-altitude sites with several swift, localized hailstorms. Ultimately, a fine, remarkably stable, and sun-drenched late summer carried directly into the autumn harvest period, allowing this Merlot to achieve superb phenolic maturity and rounded tannins while locking in a brilliant, mountain-driven structural acidity characteristic of the vintage.

Ravenna

Vines are situated at an altitude of 450 meters above sea level with a favorable southern exposure within the Parco Regionale della Vena del Gesso Romagnola (Casola Valsenio, Ravenna). The soils are deeply characterized by a complex mix of rich clay, limestone, and distinct sandstone formations. This unique, high-altitude geological footprint forces deep root penetration, yielding highly concentrated fruit with a vibrant mineral core that prevents the Merlot grape from losing its structural edge in the warm Italian sun.

2023