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Tappero Merlo

Tappero Merlo KIN Erbaluce di Caluso

Tappero Merlo KIN exhibits an intense straw-yellow color with vibrant liveliness and consistency. An elegant sage note blends with balsamic and spicy aromas in this dry white wine. Its olfactory profile, marked by a distinct mineral quality, is enriched with citrus, floral, and herbal elements. The wine showcases long persistence and excellent balance. Its alpine character will enhance with age if stored in a cool cellar.

VINEYARD

Designation

Grape Varieties

Type

Soil

Vineyard Care

WINERY

Fermentation 

Aging

Alcohol

Certifications

Serving Temperature

AT HOME

Cellaring

Erbaluce di Caluso DOCG

 

100% Erbaluce

 

Dry, still white wine

The soils are morainic; mostly sand, with some silt and clay

No chemicals, herbicides, insecticides, fertilizers used. Very low use of copper substituted largely by cerevisiae yeast and herbal teas.  Harvest is at the end of September.

Indigenous yeasts start the fermentation which takes place in steel at a controlled temperature and ends in the 20 hectolitre oak barrels.

 

18-20 months with weekly bâttonage, then a few months in concrete tanks to settle. Aged a further two years in bottle. Minimal sulfur added only at bottling.

13%

Certified organic vineyard with some biodynamic practices. 

55°F  (16°C)

Up to 10 years

Tappero Merlo KIN Wine Color
Tappero Merlo KIN Wine Flavors

Appearance:

Pale gold

Taste:

Medium intensity wine with flavors of lime juice, chalk, wet sand, and grapefruit. The finish is interesting because it is saline, with brioche and fennel fronds. Some oak presence on the palate.

Nose:

Pineapple, Golden Delicious apple, jasmine, lime, fennel frond, celery salt, concrete, oyster shell, gravel, and kiwi.

Pairing:

Pasta carbonara, halibut with almond crust, lobster, chicken, pork, and polenta.

Why We Love This Wine

Tappero Merlo KIN redefines Italian white wine. Previously, we viewed these wines as refreshing yet simple, but KIN proved so complex and lively. Its intriguing nose features an equal mix of fruit, floral, herbal, and mineral notes. While it possesses some weight and oak, it finishes refreshingly with lime and salt. It bears comparison to a Chardonnay from the Maconnaise or Côte Chalonnaise, though it is more intriguing.

Erbaluce may be the best grape you have never heard of, being one of the few DOCGs for Italian white wines. Its name, meaning "dawn light," derives from its thick amber-skinned grapes. If not grown in the sunniest sites, its wines can be quite acidic. This vineyard has historical significance; it was previously owned by Giuseppe Giacosa, who wrote lyrics for many of Puccini's operas. Today, Domenico Tappero Merlo owns it, and his dedication to land stewardship and meticulous attention to detail yield remarkable, age-worthy wines.  

$45 / Bottle

Tappero Merlo KIN Wine Flavors and Scent

$45 / Bottle

Sakura Gold Award International Wine Competition in Japan

KIN

2018

Max Roher and Domenico Tappero Merlo

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. KIN was his grandfather, a simple man with big values. His life followed the rhythm of nature and the vineyard because nothing was more important than his wine - his Erbaluce. KIN is a tribute from his grandson.

Images Courtesy of Tappero Merlo

@2025 Blue House Wines, LLC.

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