Merotto has over 100 years of history in the heart of the Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG region, about 45 miles outside of Venice, Italy. Agustino Merotto began making prosecco in the early 1900’s and in the 1980’s his grandson, Graziano, took over the family business. The evolution from grandfather to grandson has seen the winery embrace modern technology inside the winery for more control over the process, while preserving the classic landscapes and traditional architecture of the buildings on the property. Graziano’s grandson is still too young to make a decision, but prospects look good for him to carry on the family tradition.
Only one sixth of prosecco production falls into the DOCG category, with the vast majority of prosecco focused on value and quantity rather than quality. The quality driven wines are at a higher price point than the $13 value bottles most people are familiar with, generally starting around $30. Like any other wine, particulars of production and labor add to the final cost of each bottle.
Merotto is a small producer, with just 20 hectares situated in the most prestigious region for high quality prosecco, located in the province of Treviso between the Adriatic sea and Dolomite mountains. In addition to only using grapes from the heart of the DOCG, the Merotto family takes great pride in every step of the process. Their vineyards are located on steep hillsides which can only be harvested by hand, a costly labor intensive process.
The newest wine from Merotto, Cuvee Del Fondatore Graziano Merotto 2015, released in early 2017 won this year’s Chairman’s Trophy with 96 Points. In the winery the process begins with a soft press maceration, followed by fermentation in a pressurized tank to achieve crisp round bubbles, and finally resting the wine on its lees for 120 days to add complexity of flavor and texture. Hand harvesting and extended aging are two of the factors contributing to the higher price, and more refined flavor. At $34.99 it is on the lower end of high priced DOCG proseccos, and while it’s more expensive than the average bottle, the superior quality is apparent upon first sip.
