Here is something you might not know about me.
Prosecco has never been my go-to drink.
I have been to Art gallery receptions and Galas all over London.
And what do they serve a majority of the time? - Prosecco
[Even when sometimes it is clearly written on the invitation that it's a Champagne reception. But that's an article for another time].
I must be honest, most of the time I would have a sip and put it down again.
I am born a Champagne girl, what can I say?
However, in my spare time, I did give Prosecco a real go and even though I still wasn't convinced by the ones I found in a majority of bars and restaurants, one finally got me to see things differently.
Yes, thanks to Bosco del Merlo, my eyes were now opened to the world of Prosecco.
Their Prosecco rose in particular is what first triggered my taste buds.
The same can actually be said for Oli, who got to drink Bosco del Merlo with me during our little chat. You can listen to the Podcast here: Oli London
Recently, there’s been quite a bit of buzz around this irresistibly pink fizz, which was approved and awarded DOC status by the Italian government in March last year.
Since then, many different versions have been rolled out across the UK market, with varying degrees of quality, it must be said.
Bosco del Merlo’s Prosecco rose, however, stands head and shoulders above the rest. It’s fresh, dry and subtly floral with delicate, fine bubbles, making it extremely pleasant to drink.
I was curious to find out more about their wines, and so I spoke to Federico Zamborlini, who is the export manager at Fondaco, the wine export company that represents Bosco del Merlo in the UK, USA, Australia and southeast Asia.
Here’s what I found out (PS if you’re more of a visual person, you can watch the video here)
Would you mind telling us who you are in a couple of sentences?
My name is Federico Zamborlini. I am an oenologist and a sommelier and I now work as an export manager for Fondaco, a company based just outside of Venice. We export and represent Bosco del Merlo, a winery near Treviso in the northeast of Italy.
How did you first come across Bosco del Merlo winery?
It’s a renowned brand here in my area [Veneto]. I had just come back from a trip to Australia and was drinking one of their wines. I knew Giuseppe [the owner of Fondaco] and so we started our adventure in exporting Bosco del Merlo wines.
What made you first fall in love with this brand?
The philosophy of the family, they run a big project in sustainability. Also, the elegance of the label and the quality of the wines themselves.
How would you describe Giuseppe, the owner of your company?
Gentle, enthusiastic and always on the lookout for new projects.
What is your favourite wine from the Bosco del Merlo range?
I think Roggio dei Roveri. It’s a wine made from refosco, a grape native to Friuli in northeast Italy. It’s elegant with soft tannins and a hint of musk. It’s really, really interesting.
Do you remember the first wine you ever tried?
Well, of course Prosecco, because we live in the Prosecco area of Italy. I was 12 years old, I think. It’s common in Italy to start with a sip of wine.
If you had to drink a wine which is not Italian for the rest of your life, where would it be from?
Definitely France. Or maybe Spain.
Tell me your three favourite things about Italy.
Being Italian we’re incredibly lucky because we live in the most iconic and historic place in the world. So probably history, art and food culture. But there’s so many things I could say.
Can you tell me two facts about Italian wine which people are not likely to know?
We have a lot of different wines, from white light-bodied wines from near Venice to full-bodied wines from Trentino province [in north-east Italy]. You also have light bodied pinot noir in the north and then full-bodied pinot noir in the south. There are so many wines in Italy. I think this is something quite special.
How has COVID-19 impacted on your job?
We used to travel a lot and now we are stuck at home. But there’s a good aspect to that because we are doing lots of online fairs. I think smart working can be good if you embrace its possibilities. So yeah, it’s had a big impact but we have to move forward. We are doing the best we can, I think.
Can you tell me your most fun wine memory?
I do lots of blind tasting with my friends and this is something really fun. But I studied oenology in Udine [in Friuli] and we did a lot of fun things then. But I can’t tell you about some of them.
We’ll leave that to the imagination. Can you tell me your most awkward wine memory?
I drank a wine that tasted really, really bad, like sweet pepper but it was really, really strong. It stuck in my mind because it was so weird.
How do you decide on which establishments you’d like to work with? Do you aim for ones that are more luxury orientated or do you, for example, cater to pubs?
It depends on the wine label. For example, with Bosco del Merlo, the Palantin family have a wide portfolio of different wines – from light bodied to full bodied. So we do a lots of different wine tastings with different customers where the wines are decided beforehand. For Bosco del Merlo, we’re definitely looking for customers who like luxury or are more exclusive because their label is more elegant and their wines are better known.
If you could compare Italian wine with an animal, which one would it be?
I think maybe I would compare Trentino wine with an eagle. Trentino is in the Alps and the vineyards are steep so it reminds me of flying. Tuscan wines like Brunello di Montalcino I associate with a boar because it’s a typical animal from this region and it tastes really strong. I would compare Bosco del Merlo with a deer because it’s elegant, smart, curious and an adventure to discover.
If you could choose three people to drink Bosco del Merlo with – dead or alive – who would they be?
Definitely my friend Filippo who passed away some days ago. Then with my best friends, Valentino and Giovanni.
Describe yourself in three words.
Touchy, smart and ambitious.
What is the strangest thing you’ve ever done in a vineyard?
I was in McLaren Vale in Australia but the vineyard was close to the Barossa Valley, the land of the brown snake [one of the three most dangerous snakes in the world]. My boss there told me to go to the vineyard and take some samples but when we arrived the grass was really, really tall and I refused to get in. After a few days I plucked up the courage to go in with a stick and started singing and tapping the ground to scare away the snakes. It was scary but fun. Everything in Australia which walks or flies can kill you.
What is the last wine you bought for yourself?
It was champagne. One was a bottle of Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque, the other Louis Roederer Cristal. We sometimes buy champagne for particular tastings. I don’t often drink it though because it’s too expensive.
What is your favourite place to drink wine in London?
The Ritz. I have a friend who works there as a sommelier so I usually visit him at least once when I come to London. It’s a good place to have champagne.
What do you find most rewarding about exporting wine?
I guess the fact you are in contact with people. You can exchange different visions about the wine world and I do love to talk to people. I’m not shy. Also, working with people from different countries you get to know different cultures and different traditions. Man has drunk wine since 7,000BC so it’s the best thing you can work with.
I absolutely agree. What does a day in the life of a wine export manager look like?
Usually, we’ll travel two weeks in a month. Otherwise, we wake up, get to the office, deal with phone calls and meetings and organise the next trip abroad, or deal with things from the last trip. But when we are abroad, in London, for example, we attend lots of events and meetings with our customers. We represent our importers by having lots of dinners, lots of aperetivo. It’s fun.
Any downsides?
Being abroad is fun but you do have to do business in between relaxing. You also have to be awake the day after. I’ve worked in a vineyard, I’ve worked in a winery and it’s hard, physical work. Exporting wine isn’t that type of work but it’s still important. You’re with customers in a restaurant but you’re still doing business.
What is the ideal sentence you’d like to hear from people who have just tried Bosco del Merlo?
I’ve never drunk something like this before.
If Bosco del Merlo could be matched with a TV show, which would it be?
Maybe The X Factor because after drinking Bosco del Merlo you might want to sing.
To those who have never been to Bosco del Merlo winery, what does it look like?
The estate is pretty. There are vineyards all around and there’s a big Venetian style villa which was built in 2001, I think. The most interesting thing to do is to walk in the vineyards. We have a fantastic panorama because we are about 30km from Venice but we also have the Alps a 40km drive away. We are in one of the best areas of Italy because everything is so close. A 20-minute drive away you have the beach; drive for 40 minutes you can ski. It’s amazing.
What hobbies does Giuseppe, the owner of Fondaco, have?
I don’t know Giuseppe’s hobbies. I’ve just seen him drink wine with me. I do know he’s a basketball referee though.
What is your favourite hobby outside wine?
I play the piano, I do lots of different sports. I play basketball during the winter but during summer I ride my bike, play tennis and do some cross fit. I love going to the beach with friends. And I love art, I usually go to lots of exhibitions. I also love cinema. I see a lot of films, including old movies.
What is your astrological sign?
I’m a Virgo but I’m Sagittarius as well. Sagittarius likes having lots of things to do. They like travel and are a little bit stubborn.
If someone wants to get into the same role as you, what three qualities should they have?
You must be passionate about wine. You have to be able to speak to and listen to people and to understand customers’ needs and give them advice where needed. You also have to study a lot. I’ve recently signed up to a renowned business school here in Italy. I have a bachelor’s degree in oenology and viticulture but it didn’t cover enough of the business side of things. I now need to expand my knowledge.
What are the next big plans for Bosco del Merlo over the next three years?
We are focusing on the new Prosecco rose because it was only recently recognised by the Prosecco Denomination of Controlled Origin (DOC) Consortium. We also have lots of projects dealing with sustainability – not only the environmental sustainability but also the economic and social one. And we also collaborate with Pink Ribbon where we donate a certain amount of money from each bottle for breast cancer research.
What’s your favourite quote?
“Do not go gentle into that good night.” It’s a poem they quote in Interstellar which is a space film by Christopher Nolan. He’s of my favourite directors. I love all of his films.
Bosco del Merlo Prosecco Extra Dry Millesimato
Region of production: Veneto, Italy
Varietals: Glera and Pinot Grigio
Tasting notes: Pear, green apple, balsamic, mint
Bouquet: Floral, acacia, rose, white flowers
Federico says: “While drinking this you can detect fine bubbles, fresh fruit, lots of apple and pear and then just a few tropical fruits like melon. It’s an elegant flavour. You can drink a bottle of it and you won’t have a headache because there are no sulphites added. It’s vegan too.”
To find out more about Bosco del Merlo’s wine range, check out their UK website.
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