Merlot FRIULI COLLI ORIENTALI DOC 2020

Lovingly described by Veronelli as 'the farmer', Livio Felluga was a courageous, visionary, enlightened man, always with an eye on his family, his land, his hills. It is easy to see how the story of Livio Felluga and his wine is intertwined with the history of that particular land surrounding the far north-eastern part of the Adriatic, the point of contact between the Mediterranean and central Europe. A history of borders that have changed several times, of empires that have disappeared, of wars that have passed... of people who have stayed here. It is the story of a man who has lived through two world wars, lived in the Austro-Hungarian Empire first and then in the young Kingdom of Italy, lived on the rocky coast of the Istrian peninsula and in the lagoon-like Grado. Livio Felluga moved to Friuli in the late 1930s and settled in the gentle foothills of the Rosazzo hills. His dream of producing hill wine was interrupted by a call to the front. As if that were not enough, the return to Italy was not easy for the veterans of the Second World War: the physical, political and ethnic borders had changed, changed forever, as had the agricultural and social landscape of the hills themselves. The farming population was leaving, further impoverishing the land and abandoning the crops, values and traditions associated with it. Livio Felluga had to undertake a new battle to resurrect the hill, convinced that only the rebirth of quality farming could bring life back to the Friulian countryside. With great courage he began to restore the ancient vineyards of Rosazzo and plant new ones, introducing innovative ideas and methods. This hard work, undertaken with great stubbornness and passion, led him over the years to create one of the most beautiful and significant wineries in Italy, rightfully acquiring the title of refounder of the Friulian winegrowing tradition and a key player in the Italian wine renaissance.