The start of November sees wine lovers and wine producers descend on the charming Italian town of Merano for the annual Merano WineFestival. Members of the iDealwine team packed their suitcases and headed there to present a brilliant section of wines available on the website at our stand. It was a chance for us to meet and talk to our Italian, Austrian and German customers, visit the stands of our partner domains that were present, talk to the local media…
Merano WineFestival 2023 in numbers
More than 650 wineries and exhibitors, 170 of which practice organic, biodynamic and natural winemaking methods
More than 7,000 visitors including 3,000 professionals from the wine industry
A Tour de France in wines
Blanc de Blancs Jardins du Mesnil Grand Cru Brut by André Robert: While this name is much less well-known than the large houses, visitors appreciated the complexity of this Champagne from the famous Côte des Blancs.
Pouilly-Fumé La Moynerie 2019 from Michel Redde: A well-made Sauvignon Blanc that bears the name of the cellar built by Michel Redde. It can be cellared for 10 to 15 years.
Riesling Grand Cru Zinnkoepflé 2022 by Agathe Bursin: Visitors at the wine fair were huge fans of Riesling and they really liked this wine from a plot with brilliant sun exposure (Zinnkoepflé means “Mont of the Sun”). This vintage is a baby though and should be left to sleep for a little bit longer.
Château Branaire Ducru 2015: We took visitors to Saint-Julien with this excellent vintage that still has plenty to offer! It’s a very elegant wine with well-integrated tannins.
Château Quinault L’Enclos 2015: The wine enthusiasts appreciated the precision in this Saint-Emilion without realising that it is created using the same savoir-faire as that which is used at Cheval Blanc.
Solen 2015 from Domaine Les Aurelles: This sophisticated wine from Languedoc was a huge surprise for visitors. They liked its charm, supple tannins and long finish.
The blind tasting wines
Château Guiraud 2001: This Sauternes was a favourite with the wine lovers who tasted this wine blind. It had just the right amount of freshness as well as a mineral touch in the finish. It’s certainly a wine that would be perfect for the end-of-year festivities.
Vin de Savoie Arbin Mondeuse Vieilles Vignes 2003 from Domaine Louis Magnin: A wine that is both fine and concentrated at the same time, it puts Arbin, a local Savoie grape variety, centre stage. Black fruits and spices unite!
Clos Fourtet 2003: Simply magnificent! This is a favourite of ours and we were delighted to share its charm with others. For such a mature vintage, its tannins were fin and well-integrated.
Alsace Grand Cru Furstentum 2013 from Domaine Bott-Geyl: This fantastic Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio to our Italian friends) comes from a symbolic grand cru. It’s a fresh and balanced wine that still has plenty of potential.
