2017 Peter Dipoli, Alto Adige Merlot - Cabernet Sauvignon "Iugum"

 If I told you that one of the most profound expressions of the classic Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend, outside of Bordeaux, could be found high in the Alpine valleys of Northern Italy, it might sound a bit far-fetched. But it’s true, and that is testament to the pioneering talents of one man: Peter Dipoli. With meticulous care that even the Great Growth Châteaux would find inspiring, Peter crafts “Iugum,” a towering, complex monument to both his own winemaking talent and the (now) realized potential he saw in the terroir of Alto Adige. Super Tuscans and Culty Napa Cabernets, costing three or four times as much, rarely reach the heights of this powerfully built, perfectly balanced, red wine masterpiece. With seven years of age it’s just hitting peak drinking, and will stay there for many years to come. Do not sleep on this one. There’s really no better word than “Maverick” to describe the now iconic Peter Dipoli. When he first purchased a small parcel of vines in 1987, he decided that