Miani, Friuli Colli Orientali Merlot, “Filip”

SommSelect Editorial Director David Lynch gazes in wonder at one of Italy’s rarest and most sought-after red wines, and recalls a long-ago visit with its reclusive producer.Perhaps you’ve heard the term “unicorn wine” thrown around and wondered what it means. As you might have guessed, it refers to a wine that is more spoken of than seen, to the point where you wonder if it’s real. The wines of Miani epitomize the category: they turn up on wine lists and in private cellars here and there, but importers have struggled to develop lasting relationships with Miani’s owner, Enzo Pontoni, who is known as a bit of a recluse. I still cling to a fading memory of my 2000 visit to his winery in the village of Buttrio, in the northeastern Italian region of Friuli: His was (and still is) a true ‘garage’ operation, and when I first arrived it was his mother who greeted me, after which Enzo appeared astride his tractor (which he clearly would have preferred to remain on rather than deal with me). Luc