Cà Minola Merlot Bianco

Born in Milan in 1975, I left the metropolis after my studies in commerce to come to Malvaglia, my mother's hometown. After working on a few farms in the valley, I had started my business in 1997 with six goats and a few vineyards. Over the years the business has grown and today I work about three hectares of vineyards and some orchards. In 2010, I gave up goat keeping to devote myself entirely to the vineyard. Married to Tessa and father of two children, Marco and Vera, I am also president of the Federviti section Biasca e Valli. I also collaborate with some magazines specialised in agriculture and viticulture.

I currently cultivate 10,000 vines, mainly Merlot, in the villages of Malvaglia, Ludiano and Semione. Most of these vineyards are in the hills, so they are almost entirely worked by hand, with much more effort and expense than the vineyards in the flat wine-growing regions. Since 2008, in collaboration with a renowned winery in Sottoceneri, I have been producing a pure Merlot called "Impronta". With the help of an oenologist friend, I also produce a line of wines called "Cà Minola", in memory of my mother's house. The "Cà Minola" typology is composed of a white Merlot, a white blend of six grape varieties and a rosé, and then a "Cà Minola spumante", a sparkling wine with 50% Merlot and 50% Pinot Noir. From 2020, another white wine will be added, the "Bianco di Tessa", made from grapes of other interspecific varieties.

Most of the vineyards are located in the hills or in the famous "Ganne di Ludiano". Vineyards certainly suggestive and with remarkable oenological possibilities, but demanding to work and with a yield certainly lower than in the flat wine-growing regions.