Paraschos, Merlot Friuli Venezia Giulia 2014

First produced in 2004 from vines planted in 2001 in Sant’Andrea on gravel, clay and clayey marl It is native yeast fermented for 28 days in big Slavonian oak vats. Aging is in big Slavonian oak barrels and smaller French oak tonneaux and barriques for a minimum 24 months and steel tank. Bottling is by settling only with no filtration and no additives.

The Paraschos family started making wine in the late 1990s when father Evangelos was first inspired by the wines of Stanko Radikon and Josko Gravner. The born Greek from Thessaloniki first came to the region in the late 1980s where he later met his future wife and partner in Gorizia. The family’s vineyards in the small village of San Floriano and Oslavje are some of the highest plots on the Italian side of the region. They are planted with a large variety of native grapes such as Ribolla Gialla, Tokaj Friulano, Malvasia as well as domesticated varieties such as Pinot Gris (planted on single-vineyard Slatnik), Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir. The vineyards sit on a variety of soils, commonly known as Ponka (Opok) which consists of a layer of sandy clay and a bedrock of marl (argile). As with most wines of the region, their whites all feature a degree of skin maceration, a decision that more than anything suits the climatic conditions and the prevailing varieties and emphasizes the fantastic geologic conditions of the region.

Over the past few years, Alexis, son of Evangelos is now at the helm of the family’s winery, continuing the legacy and carrying forward a certain spirit that translates in the purity and precision of their wines. In a way they seem complete, without losing their tension and natural energy, thanks to a deep commitment to organic farming and respectful treatment of the grapes. Time is another key element of their philosophy — many of the wines are aged for at least 3 years before being released — whether it’s their phenomenal ‘Amphoreus’ collection or a beautifully delicate Merlot that has been aged on the lees for 5 years.