Italian fantasy wine
Although the name is widely known, not many people have actually heard it. Miani is a representative example of such wine. It is famous as a cult figure among Italian wines, and is known as one of the phantom wines that is not easily available even in its hometown of Friuli. It is no exaggeration to say that Enzo Pontoni, the winemaker who created this wine in one generation, is a living legend in Italy. Enzo has literally lived in the fields since he left his career as an engineer in the 1980s and began making wine on his own in the vineyards inherited from his mother's side. The mud on his large, glove-like hands, which can't be removed by washing his hands and gets stuck in his broken nails and cracked skin, testify to his attitude as he silently faces the field. Currently, grapes are grown on 13 hectares of vineyards in Buttorio and Rosazzo, considered the Grand Crus of Friuli, but at most only 12,000 grapes are released each year under the Miani name. The production volume is unimaginably low. With a strong desire to "make good wine," we reduce the yield to what is said to be the lowest level in Friuli through thorough pruning and green harvesting, and through strict selection, only the best grapes can enter the cellar, resulting in Barrel Selection. This is because wines that do not meet the required standards will not be bottled.
The quest continues
Enzo says, ``As he got older, he became more and more absorbed in working in the fields.'' There is truly no compromise in his grape cultivation. As he immerses himself in his field work without worrying about public opinion or the reputation of those around him, his wine style is also gradually changing, shifting to a style that demands not only power but also finesse. In addition, with the aim of further expressing the individuality of the terroir, wines from estates that have reached sufficient age and quality are now bottled individually rather than blended. In winemaking, it is often said that the grapes determine the quality of the wine, and nothing makes this statement more true than with his wines. You will be overwhelmed by the tremendous concentration and energy produced by the horrifyingly low yield, and at the same time you will be surprised by the contrasting clarity and freshness. Enzo's quest for winemaking continues even now that he has established a worldwide reputation by purchasing excellent fields and releasing new cuvées.
