Bressan Merlot 2003, Venezia Giulia IGT, Italia

Bressan Merlot 2003.

Wine review

5 of 5 stars

An outstanding wine

Here we have an outstanding wine. A clear ruby colour is followed by an extraordinary bouquet. First there are raspberries, cranberries, blueberries and blackberries and floral aromas of violets. The second impression brings in developed aromas of sweet spices, cedar wood and amber. Finally, there is oriental perfume that reminds me of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night. The entirety on this pronounced nose is etherial, even mystical as the layers of aromas open one after another.

When tasting, the story of the striking bouquet continues as its aromas are repeated seamlessly on the palate. I'm astonished by the etherial mouthfeel that echoes the bouquet as the wine glides on the palate. There is feeling of fluttering silk. The medium body is well balanced with high acidity and developed, round and plentiful tannins. A very pleasant cranberry after taste lingers for a long while. 

This wine, in my opinion, ought to be meditated. I wouldn't necessarily combine it with food due to its delicate aromatic complexity that would easily be overpowered by food. However, if you want to drink this wine over dinner, I would suggest high quality roast beef with vegetable pure. Due to its high acidity, this wine could also be combined with acidic dishes without becoming flat, e.g. Italian tomato based recipes.

Complex, integrated and elegant. A truly divine wine.

Info in a nutshell

Price examples:

EUR 28,50 at Enoteca Ronchi webshop

DKK 235 (EUR 31) per bottle at Vinbar Terroiristen, Copenhagen, Denmark

Country and region: Italia, Venezia Giulia IGT, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Isonzo

Grape: Merlot 100%

Alc vol: 12,5%

Producer: Bressan

Background

Bressan Merlot is made by Fulvio Bressan, a vintner from Isonzo in Friuli, Northern Italy. Bressan family has owned this land since the 16th century, and made wine since 1726, now counting the 9th generation of wine makers. The vineyards are on the riverside of Isonzo. Their soil consists of sediments and has high minerality, including high levels of iron.

Fulvio Bressan is a character. His wine making philosophy is all about terroir. The priority for him is to be fully responsible for the land he has inherited, which means that he is brutally honest in his vineyard care and wine making techniques. Practically all work at the vineyards is done manually. No pesticides are used, no irrigation, no yeasts and no chemicals are added to the wine (not even sulphites). However, the idea is not necessarily to produce organic wines. Instead, the logic is to be as terroir driven as possible, so that the wine would convey these vines and this land in particular. Consequently, if on a given year under these circumstances the grapes don’t reach high quality, then no wine is produced. This results in Bressan producing 0 to 40000 bottles of wine a year. Nature gives, nature takes. It is as simple as that.

Fulvio and Nereo Bressan themselves consider the vintage of 2003 amongst the best for Bressan winery. The Merlot of 2003 was grown on 50 years old vines. It has high extraction levels due to long maceration. Bold tannins and ample fruit with high acidity give this wine an excellent aging potential.