Tappero Merlo
Tappero Merlo Cuvée des Paladins
Tappero Merlo Cuvée des Paladins is a sparkling Erbaluce made in the traditional method. It is aged on lees for an incredible seventy-five months and hand riddled. There are aromas of bread crust and dried fruit, and flavors of citrus, honey, vanilla, and hazelnut. The palate is full and soft with a mineral finish. Enjoy this Italian sparkling white wine made in the classical method.
VINEYARD
Designation
Grape Varieties
Type
Soil
Vineyard Care
WINERY
Fermentation
Aging
Alcohol
Certifications
AT HOME
Serving Temperature
Cellaring
100% Erbaluce
Classical method sparkling 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.
Indigenous yeast. Primary fermentation occurs in both steel and neutral barrels. After a few months resting, the base wine will have a pied-de-cuve added and starts the second fermentation inside the bottle.
After the second fermentation starts in the bottle, the wine is left on the lees for 75 months. Finally, it is hand riddled and disgorged. Minimal sulfur added only at bottling.
13%
Certified organic vineyard with some biodynamic practices.
45°F (7°C)
15 years
Appearance:
Medium lemon with very fine perlage.
Taste:
Mineral, grapefruit, lemon zest, honey, hazelnut and vanilla. Exceptionally smooth and velvety bubbles. Medium-bodied with a soft texture.
Nose:
Chalk, yellow apple, sour batârd, white pepper, pizza crust, almond, flint, yellow peach, sage.
Pairing:
Cold cuts, cheese, risotto with vegetables, soups, fried fish, vegetable tempura.
Why We Love This Wine
Domenico Tappero Merlo set out to not only make a sparkling Erbaluce wine (traditional to his native Canavese), he set out to make the best wine possible. One that is truly worthy of DOCG status. It would have to be made in the classical method (2nd fermentation inside the bottle), and hand riddled. It would need more than six years on the lees, adding yeasty and bottle age dimensions to the bouquet. Even the bottles would have to be top notch. This inaugural vintage of Tappero Merlo Cuvée des Paladins received 92 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards, a score equal to Veuve Cliquot La Grande Dame and Tattinger Prélude Brut Grand Crus.
Cuvée des Paladins is a touch darker than Champagne, due to the Erbaluce grape. Immediately noticeable is the super-soft mousse forming from an ultra-fine perlage. The nose is multi-faceted and quite complex, with yellow apple (Erbaluce signature) and grapefruit hiding behind a mineral veil. Also evident are characteristics derived from bottle age, such as pizza crust, almonds and struck flint. Finally, there is a touch of savory herbs, like sage and thyme. The palate has a beautiful foamy mouthfeel which makes the wine weightless. It is full bodied but soft. The finish, of almost incalculable length, leaves you with a strong mineral imprint, coupled with a refreshing citrus twist. There is a chalkiness to it that makes you smile after each sip. Don’t miss your opportunity to experience this Italian sparkling white wine made in the classical method.
$48 / Bottle
Cuvée des
Paladins
2017
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. Cuvée des Paladins is named after the 12 loyal knights of Charles the Great. In the 8th century, they led a renewal of viticulture, and brought new vines and techniques to all corners or the empire.
Images Courtesy of Tappero Merlo