Tappero Merlo
Bohémien
Passito Riserva
2009
Tappero Merlo Bohémien
Tappero Merlo Bohémien is an Italian white dessert wine made from Erbaluce grapes. Following tradition, it is made by drying grapes on straw mats over the winter. The grapes are also affected by Noble Rot before aging three years in oak, and eight years in the bottle.
VINEYARD
Designation
Grape Varieties
Soil
Vineyard Care
Certifications
WINERY
Fermentation
Aging
Alcohol
Serving Temperature
Cellaring
AT HOME
100% Erbaluce
Dessert white wine
80% sand, 15% silt and 5% clay
In the vineyard, no chemicals, herbicides, insecticides, fertilizers are used and a very low use of copper. The grapes are harvested two weeks before the regular harvest in early September.
Certified organic vineyard with some biodynamic practices.
The grapes are placed in an attic for the winter to dehydrate. Botrytis also present on many of the clusters. The grapes are softly pressed in March. Natural fermentation starts slowly in oak barrels.
The wine is aged in different sized oak barrels for three years before bottling. It then rests for a further seven years, gaining complexity in the bottle. Minimal sulfur added only at bottling.
14.5%
50F (10°C)
Up to 100 years
Type
Appearance:
Medium amber.
Taste:
Fig, white chocolate, mandarin orange, tangerine juice, waffle with syrup.
Nose:
Ginger, maple syrup, dried mango, dried pineapple, fig cake, dates, toasted almonds, crème brûlée, cinnamon, molasses, nutmeg.
Pairing:
Squash ravioli, Pâté, cous cous with dates and orange peel, spicy cheeses, white or milk chocolate, pastries with almond, hazelnut, or pistachio paste.
Why We Love This Wine
The origin of these Passito wines can be traced back to Roman times. In the Canavese, Erbaluce Passito has been made by the same families for hundreds of years, and Tappero Merlo Bohémien follows this tradition. The best grapes are picked early and laid to wither on racks in a well ventilated attic over the winter. These grape clusters have to be small and loose to ensure ideal drying. During the cool and humid winter months, botrytis sets in and further dehydrates the clusters, while adding delicate dried fruit flavors. After approximately six months of drying, the grapes are softly pressed and the wine begins its long aging in oak.
We reach for a post-prandial dessert wine once in a while, either with dessert or by itself. Many are delicious, but the sweetness makes one glass enough. Tappero Merlo Bohémien is different. Although it is thought of as an Italian white dessert wine, Tappero Merlo Bohémien is so full of intriguing flavors that match well with different food preparations that it can be paired with a full meal. And being able to take us through a whole meal, from appetizer to dessert is the hallmark of a great wine. The nose is mysterious, with dried tropical fruits, candies citrus and wildflower honey. It's warm and enveloping with a particular freshness and good sapidity able to balance the soft components typical of a Passito wine. There are dark and citrusy notes similar to a Bual Madeira without the high alcohol. Bohémien will appeal to both Madeira lovers and dessert wine lovers.
$69 / 500 ml Bottle
Critics Review
This wine opens like a top-notch Oloroso sherry with roasted hazelnut nuts, wildflower honey, dried apricots and pressed yellow flowers. The palate is rich yet balanced by vibrant acidity that lifts the palate for each successive taste. Aged cheese and roasted nuts scream for this wine.
— Jeff Porter, Wine Enthusiast
About the Winery
Being loyal and respectful to your "terroir" is fundamental to reach original and authentic results. Protecting and saving what was donated to us by past generations is the strongest and most revolutionary act we could do today. These are the philosophies of Domenico Tappero Merlo. He wants to narrate the story of his land through Erbaluce. Bohémien is named after Giuseppe Giacosa, who was the playwright for most of Puccini's operas. He was a great admirer of wines from these vineyards, and owned one himself.
Images Courtesy of Tappero Merlo