Tappero Merlo
Tappero Merlo Cuvée des Paladins
Tappero Merlo Cuvée des Paladins is a sparkling Erbaluce produced using traditional methods. It is aged on lees for seventy-five months and hand-riddled. Aromas of bread crust and dried fruit accompany flavors of citrus, honey, vanilla, and hazelnut. The palate is full-bodied and soft, with a mineral finish.
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 aimed to create the best sparkling Erbaluce, traditional to his native Canavese, worthy of DOCG status. This inaugural vintage received 92 points at the Decanter World Wine Awards, equal to Veuve Cliquot La Grande Dame and Tattinger Prélude Brut Grand Crus.
Cuvée des Paladins is slightly darker than Champagne due to the Erbaluce grape. The nose is complex, featuring yellow apple (an Erbaluce signature) and grapefruit behind a mineral veil. Additional characteristics from bottle age include pizza crust, almonds, and struck flint, with hints of savory herbs like sage and thyme. The palate has a foamy mouthfeel, making the wine weightless yet full-bodied. Its finish leaves a strong mineral imprint with a refreshing citrus twist, and its chalky finish elicits a smile after each sip. 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