Marco Merli

Artisanal winemaker Marco Merli is the creator of white, red and orange wines with a pure and genuine soul, reflecting the production vision of this Umbrian winemaker. The winery is located in the hamlet of Casa del Diavolo, close to the city of Perugia, where Marco started his winemaking business in 2003 with the support of his father Enzo, leaving behind his profession as a designer in the fashion industry. In fact, the vineyards had been purchased by his father in 2000 as a retirement pastime. Marco Merli is a member of VinNatur, an association that brings together nearly 200 producers, from 10 different countries, who make artisanal wines that respect the environment and people.

Marco Merli's estate has 7 hectares of vineyards rooted on soils generally consisting of clay, sand and limestone, in varying amounts depending on the subzone of reference. The plants, located at an altitude between 280 and 380 meters above sea level, are cultivated according to the principles of organic farming, supplemented by practices of biodynamics. In addition, to promote organic fertility and preserve soil structure Marco adopts the practice of grassing. On these genuine and sustainable assumptions, the producer raises Sangiovese and Ciliegiolo among the black grape varieties, Trebbiano Toscano, Grechetto, Malvasia Bianca di Candia and Verdello for the white grapes. Harvesting is carried out strictly by hand, accompanied by careful sorting of the bunches, while in the cellar fermentations take place spontaneously thanks to the presence of indigenous yeasts. Cement tanks, stainless steel vats, fiberglass containers and oak tonneaux are used for vinification and aging, depending on the wine under consideration. Throughout the production process, clarification, filtration and stabilization are then excluded.

Those of Marco Merli are juicy and sincere expressions, endowed with a fascinating fluency and made in a few specimens while keeping well away from the homologizing logic of the market.