Maeli

The identity of the territory, which has always been at the centre of my research, has proven its great potential when planted with the Yellow Muscat grape variety which here is known as Fior D’Arancio. The origin of the soil is volcanic, rich in trachyte, chalk and clay that in my vineyard are mixed with marl and loam. This is where the name Maeli comes from.

This magnificent National Park in the Euganean Hills, that soars up as if by miracle in the heart of Veneto, plays host to the Pirio hill, 230 meters a.s.l., a place that fascinates me for its abundance of flora and fauna, for its 180-degree panorama of Venice on one side and the Dolomites on the other, but above all for the unique characteristics of the ground made up of a layer of marl penetrating to a depth of 11 metres.

The variety of the land, the steepness of the hills, the varying exposition of the vineyards, the peculiarities of the micro-climate, the temperature excursions of this face as well as the vegetation made up of holly oaks, strawberry trees, fruit trees and olive trees motivated me into finding an expression for it all in this wine.
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Here is where Maeli takes centre stage, a reality which has found new vigour in the support given it by the brothers Gianluca and Desiderio Bisol, who have encouraged the search for new expressions in a grape variety that still has so much to reveal.
Here I have decided to work towards the production of a wine that is rich in emotion whilst at the same time a worthy ambassador for this prestigious territory.

Respect and regard for an ancient, originally volcanic land, where a lush vegetation of holly oaks, strawberry trees and fruit trees lives side by side with centuries old traditional plants such as olive trees and grapevines. This is the natural world of Terre del Pirio in the heart of the Euganean Hills.
Here the vines are deeply rooted in earth made up of marl flakes of chalk rock interspersed with trachyte and take full advantage of the excellent exposition to the warmth and light of the sun for the greatest part of the day whilst being sheltered from the cold north winds by Monte Pirio.
These are the excellent geological characteristics that have naturally found their way into the Maeli wines.

Nestled in the Euganean Hills, a group of volcanic rolling, cone-shape slopes that rise above the Padovan-Venetian plane, is one of the region’s fastest emerging leaders in top quality wine production – Maeli. The winery is directed by winemaker Elisa Dilavanzo, who has drawn new energy from the support given by Gianluca and Desiderio Bisol. With their vision, Elisa has been encouraged to search for new expressions in a grape variety, Moscato Giallo, that still has so much to reveal. The variety of the land, the steepness of the hills, the varying exposition of the vineyards and the peculiarities of the micro-climate motivate Elisa to continue to explore and research every aspect of winemaking in this unique land and ancient varietal.

Winemaker Elisa Dilavanzo’s foray into the world of wine production began by chance in 2010. Recruited by a hotelier who had just acquired an estate in the gorgeous Euganean Hills in Italy’s Veneto region, Elisa was asked to help restore the estate’s vineyards, which had been abandoned for decades.

Elisa says that she was immediately fascinated by the diversity of the land, the steepness of the hills, the varying exposure of the vines to the sun, the particularities of the microclimates, the temperature fluctuations and the incredible variety of fruit trees in the area. She was inspired to express all of those elements in her wines. She discovered that Fior d’Arancio, a unique variety of Yellow Muscat (Moscato Giallo) found in the area, grows particularly well in the volcanic terroir of the Euganean Hills.

One of Elisa’s main goals has been to promote the versatility of the sweet sparkling wine, which is traditionally served as a dessert wine. She proposes it as an aperitif as well, given its marked minerality. To achieve her goal, Elisa has involved owners of restaurants and wine bars, sommeliers and opinion leaders in the world of food and wine in her project, as well as anyone with the talent and imagination to make a contribution toward demonstrating the versatility of the Moscato Fior d’Arancio grape and driving her innovative project forward. Two people who were key to the success of Maeli are Gianluca and Desiderio Bisol, respectively the CEO and winemaker of the eponymous Prosecco winery in Valdobbiadene, who believed and invested in the project from the beginning.

In addition to the award-winning Maeli Moscato Fior d’Arancio DOCG, Elisa also produces a still white wine, Bianco Infinito, made from her favored Moscato Giallo. The wine stands out for the aromatics and structure that are the result of the grapes from which it is made. Rosso Infinito, a red blend, and Dila, a traditional method sparkling wine, complete the Maeli portfolio.

Elisa has already gained important recognitions from acclaimed international critics, including Tom Stevenson, who awarded the Maeli Moscato Fior d’Arancio the coveted gold medal at the 2015 Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships.