Wine Blogging Wednesday #41
Miani is the winery of the very talented and respected Enzo Pontoni. This small, no, tiny winery, has miniscule yields, like a few of the best wineries in the world, meaning that production quantities are very small. 700 cases small. Pontoni organically farms his own 10 acres and the 22 acres he rents.
In addition to this Ribolla, Enzo Pontoni makes two Tocai Friulano (Buri and Filip), a Sauvignon Blanc, a Chardonnay and three reds; two Merlot (Buri, Filip - $200 each) and a Refosco, Calvari ($400). (Perhaps you're thinking that no one else even makes a wine from Refosco grapes that retails for $400? You might be right.)
Miani's Ribolla is one of the two highest priced Ribolla Giallas in the world (the other being Gravner's). I believe this wine has very good aging potential, as do the best Ribolla Gialla. We've had a 1959 from Movia which seems to prove this theory.
Note: We just received this wine - it's suffered a lot of travel shaking in the last week, and is a very new release. We will update the following notes when we open a second bottle in a few years.
Joanne's Tasting Notes: Nose of straw and shale. The center has some viscosity and roundness and buttery-ness but is also full of acids, minerals and sweet citrus with a clean crisp finish and a lingering note of ripe grapefruit.
Jack adds: Clear, pale yellow in color. Citrus and acids on the tongue with a pleasant mouthfeel. A lot going on, but so young, its complexity isn't focusing right now. This Ribolla has a medium to long finish with the right amount of acids. Reminds most of an dry chenin blanc. In 4-6 years, I want to be drinking this (or at least, reevaluating it). 3+
Other notes from Jack: Miani has attained cult status - simply excellent wines produced in micro quantities. The reds sell for $200-$450/bottle. I've never seen a bottle of a Miani wine on a retailer's shelf, but they're not completely impossible to acquire. We've drunk a bottle of the 1997 Miani Rosso; it was dense and wonderful, but clearly needed another 6-12 years of aging... and is, at least, a 30-40 year wine.
Enzo Pontoni is also the consultant winemaker at Meroi.
The US importer is Small Vineyards, but this is the only winery in their portfolio that they haven't created a page for.
Miani does not seem to have a website.
Email me if you are desperate for some, and I'll try to steer you to a source (do this very soon). You'll also find Miani wines at a few of the best Italian restaurants. (They might not be on the list, so you should ask...they'll be quite expensive.) I have never seen a bottle of Miani on a retailer's shelf.
