
Merlot wine: undisputed excellency
Merlot wine is characterized by an unmistakable taste, which is the result of an exceptional vineyard that is capable of creating a masterpiece. The high quality of Merlot is no novelty: this unique product is beloved by everyone… Even blackbirds (“merlo” in Italian) love these grapes and are responsible for the name “Merlot”.
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The Tili winery vineyards extend for more than 15 hectares over the hills near the picturesque city of Assisi in the luxuriantly green heart of Umbria. The love for this land and its fruits is the force driving this family business that, for decades, has passionately and wholeheartedly dedicated itself to the production of top quality wine and oil.
The historic winery of Giacomo Conterno is situated in the Piedmont hills in the province of Cuneo. Its origins date way back to 1900 and nearly as long ago, in 1934 it produced Barolo Monfortino for the first time.
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Merlot grapes have an extremely thin peel, which is born primarily in damp lands, rich in fat and clay.
Merlot wine is born in France, although its harvest is possible in many other regions as well, thanks to the characteristics of the grapes, which can easily adapt to any climate. Enoteca Properzio is the proud owner of a large selection of the best Merlot wines, both Italian and foreign.

Merlot wine: from the vineyards to its sensory characteristics
The sensory characteristics of Merlot are what make it such an excellent product. Its ruby red color offers shades that are velvety and intense. Its taste is a mix of grassy and woody aromas, which make its structure rich and well-balanced. To the palate, it is strong and persistent (almost solid), while its fragrance releases the smell of forest. Among the strongest smells are those of berries, such as blackberries, cranberries and boysenberries; but one can also grasp the smell of pine needles, oregano and other grassy spices. Merlot vineyards can adapt to different climates, which makes it possible to grow these grapes in geographically diverse areas. In Italy, this wine is produced in many regions, although some are more productive than others, Veneto, Sicily, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Tuscany. These lands produce the best Italian Merlot wines. Some are quite famous around the world; others are less famous, though still sold with a great quality/price rapport and produced by great professionals.

The best Merlot wines on Enoteca Properzio
Enoteca Properzio possesses many 100% refined Italian Merlot wines. Among these wines are Masseto di Ornellaia, produced in Tuscany, with qualities that are appreciated by the best sommeliers. It is the perfect wine to combine with the gastronomical delicacies of the region, especially with white and red meat. Enoteca Properzio offers bottles from different production years, each with a specific taste and smell. It is, without a doubt, one of the best italian red wines produced in Italy. For this reason, you can purchase these bottles in an elegant and strong casing, perfect for the high quality of the wine. Another Merlot wine that is worth mentioning is Massetino, created from a blend between Merlot and a small percentage of Cabernet Franc. It bodes perfectly with stew and grilled meat, or with cold cuts and cheese.
The best Italian Merlot and much more!
Let us now focus on a 100% French Merlot wine: the Pétrus Pomerol of Chateau Pétrus. The peculiarity of this wine is the presence of cocoa, pepper, and violet aromas. It is a Merlot wine carefully selected during the production stage. The best quality of this bottle is guaranteed by its specific cultivation area: carefully studied lands to allow this Merlot wine to release its maximum potential. It is not by chance that Pétrus Pomerol is famous world-wide. The ideal degustation temperature is between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius. In the Enoteca Properzio catalogue you will find bottles and casings from different production years to be deeply enjoyed.

The origins of the Tili cellars
The founder of the Tili family arrived here in Central Italy way back in 1200, as one of Barbarossa’s followers. And his descendants have never left. In 1978, following tradition and the family business, the owner of the company started to bottle the wine. His sole aim was to realise the dream of making the wine recognised, tasted and appreciated worldwide. And this is still happening down to today.
The Tili winery, which produces between 90,000 and 100,000 bottles a year, is now known in the United States, Japan, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland and Germany. The Tili wines stand out as value products due to the calcareous terrain on which they are grown, a terroir that is particularly permeable and unable to hold rainwater. This enriches the organoleptic profile of the grapes with saline. The strength of this family’s vineyards derives from the excellent geographic and climatic conditions. This combined with special growing techniques and lack of pesticides and weed killers produces wines of the highest quality. Tili products include Assisi Bianco DOC, Assisi Grechetto DOC, Assisi Rosso DOC, Gaudium, Muffa Reale, Assisi Pinot Nero DOC, Sacreterre and Young Assisi Rosso DOC.

Barolo Monfortino: an excellent red wine from Giacomo Conterno cellars
Today Roberto Conterno runs the family business, continuing the story of the winery with the same commitment and passion that guided it more than a century ago. This involves careful pruning, elimination of the excess bunches and defoliation that allows the sun and air to filter through properly to the grapes, enabling them to ripen evenly. These traditional stratagems might even be called simple, with their respect for the pace and the whims of nature but, decade after decade, they have made this winery a symbol of Italian excellence around the world. These stratagems leave the wine's traditional fragrances and flavours undistorted. This can only be achieved with a perfect balance between the terroir and the manual activity. Not by chance do Giacomo Conterno wines represent and transmit in a glass the guiding values that have made it the name it is today: respect, love and comprehension for the vine, the land and tradition.
Monfortino Conterno: exceptional bottles of historic vintages
Barolo Monfortino, with its intense and enveloping aromas, just like the particularly elegant bouquet, represents only one of the excellences of this winery. Monfortino Conterno, in fact, is accompanied by other exceptional bottles, which have gone down in the history of enology for their harmonious and balanced structure.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Barolo Monfortino - as far as table combinations are concerned - goes perfectly with meat-based dishes, especially with braised meats, as well as with truffle dishes. However, these are so refined red wines that they don't have to be tasted exclusively with a menu, but can also be enjoyed on their own, in all their essence. For anyone wishing to taste Monfortino wine, Enoteca Properzio has collected a selection of historic vintages, collectible and investment bottles perfect to open for an important occasion.
Giacomo Conterno is the demonstration of how the best wines are nothing more than the result of tradition and innovation, but also of passion and professionalism. Precisely these characteristics have ensured that a similar winery has created masterpieces of extreme quality. Each glass of Barolo wine contains unmistakable bouquets and hints so delicious that they are always very pleasant. From the scent to the flavor, from the color to the tannins, there is not a detail that is not noteworthy.