Luigino Balozio Manzan Merlot Colli Orientali del Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy 2022

Matriarch and Proprietor Serena Palazzolo leads the charge of all operations at this family estate, along with superstar oenologist husband Christian Patat, and sons Jacopo and Zeno Gregorat. This family is undoubtedly the terroirists of the region, vinifying and bottling all vineyards separately to bring awareness and praise to the best sites of the Colli Orientali. To say it is a family affair here is an understatement. When Bobby and Lachlan first met Serena and Christian, Jacopo and Zeno were young children. Today Jacopo is an incredibly talented winemaker, having worked in the cellars of Ramonet, Vincent Dancer, Cloudy Bay, DuMol and in Bordeaux with Simonet and Sirk at numerous Chateaux including d’Yquem and Latour. Unlike Jacopo, Zeno is focused entirely in the vineyards. Not only does Zeno manage the vineyards of the family wine projects, he has his own vineyard consulting business. The drive, talent and acumen of the young generation at the helm at Balozio is thrilling as it shows in the wines. Luigino Balozio wines are all about precision, power, extract, and finesse. 

This old vine material of Merlot provides a very soft and elegant profile, with silky tannins and a ripe fruit. Drinkability is off-charts, immediate pleasure but good potential if you want to cellar it.