The Meroi name has echoed through Friuli’s town of Buttrio since the 15th century, but the modern chapter began when Domenico “Dominin” Meroi founded the estate in the early 1900s. Alongside the vineyard, he ran a restaurant in a lush manor house—today's trattoria “Al Parco,” where the village held its carnival festivities and traditional chicken festival.

During WWII, German soldiers occupied both the manor and restaurant, demanding provisions, the louts. But Dominin outsmarted them, hiding his best wines behind a false wall in the cellar—a fitting metaphor for how these wines remain hidden from the world today.

Four generations later, Paolo Meroi continues this legacy of scarcity and excellence. The estate's crown jewel is the “Zitelle” vineyard (Italian for “spinsters”), acquired from an ancient Order of Unmarried Nuns. Once a clay quarry, this historic site now produces fruit of exceptional character from 40-year-old vines rooted in the famous "Cormòns flysch"—sandstone and marlstone that crumbles into the prized ponca soil. Part of Zitelle—which Meroi shares with Miani—is planted to Friulano, which goes into this wine, along with a cru called Vigna Dominin, which supplies most of this cuvée. Bottom line?  If you’re reading this, and you love Friulian white wine, treat yourself to a few bottles.

Why You'll Love It

• Unicorn ALERT: With only 160 cases produced annually and 80% sold at the estate restaurant, getting even a single bottle is like finding a needle in a haystack. Most wine lovers will never see this, let alone taste it.
  

• The Friuli insider's secret: A truly rare and transcendent wine, from a neighbor of the legendary Miani, but somehow rarer. The shale and sandstone soils offer a wine of richness and density with elegantly polished contours. Think creamy guava and crème brûlée, full and lush, yet aromatic and refined. Just 10 months in second-use French oak adds texture without overwhelming the fruit.
  

• Restaurant pedigree: When places like The French Laundry and Frasca Food & Wine are the only places you see a wine, not even at the most chic retailer in New York, you know you're dealing with something special. This is the wine sommeliers hoard for their best customers and bring tableside with a gentle flourish—and now it can be yours.

How to Serve It

• Serve at 48-52°F to showcase both its richness and aromatic complexity.
  

• Use a white Burgundy glass to capture the wine's luxurious texture and complex aromatics.
  

• Classic pairings: San Daniele prosciutto with fresh melon, risotto with spring peas and pancetta, or grilled branzino with herbs.
  

• More adventurous: Tempura soft-shell crab with aioli, or aged Montasio cheese with mostarda