Five bottles of Desiderio Merlot, 1990 vintage; Fill level: 3x base of neck, 2x into neck
Five bottles of Desiderio Merlot, 1995 vintage; Fill level: 1x base of neck, 4x into neck
Produced by Avignonesi
Vino da Tavola and Toscana IGT, Tuscany/Italy
Original filling quantity: 0.75 l

This lot comprises ten bottles of Desiderio Merlot from the Avignonesi winery in Tuscany, five bottles each from the 1990 and 1995 vintages. The 1990 vintage here was still named as Vino da Tavola, the 1995 vintage was designated Toscana IGT.

Vino da Tavola, table wine, originally means that the grapes used to make the wine were grown in an Italian wine-growing region and the exact origin does not need to be declared. It is actually a lower quality category. However some of the finest Italian growths often reveal themselves from behind the Vino da Tavola label. Many top growers, including those of Super Tuscans, use the Vino da Tavola label to circumvent the DOCG and DOC system production regulations for wine to implement innovative ideas for preparing wine.

Toscana IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) is a wine quality closely tied to its origin. It simply describes a wine whose grapes were grown in a Tuscan wine region. Since 2009, this is also labeled IGP. The term can also signify top, highly-prized Tuscan wines, similar to Vini da Tavola, if a producer wants to interpret the wine authorities’ guidelines more freely.

1990 was a truly great vintage in Tuscany, with hot weather and a small harvest – ideal conditions for top wines. The wines are intensive, long-lasting and at the peak of their maturity. 1995 was a fine vintage in Tuscany and Piedmont, leading to the creation of some great wines, the best of which are now at their peak, albeit in small numbers.

The fill levels are excellent (4x base of neck, 6x into neck). Some labels are very slightly damaged and soiled. The capsules are in perfect condition.