Four Hands, One Merlot Born from Collaboration

4 Manus Merlot 2023 is a red wine born from the meeting of two winegrowers and a simple idea: wine is the result of shared work between those who grow the grapes and those who transform them.

The name 4 Manus, meaning “four hands”, tells the story of this collaboration. Two hands belong to the winemaker, who oversees the vinification; the other two belong to the grower, who tends the vines and nurtures the grapes until harvest. The project takes shape at Castel Noarna, near Rovereto, with the castle depicted on the label representing its place of origin and identity.

The Merlot grapes come from a partner grower who also follows organic farming principles. The winemaker personally selects the grapes and oversees both the harvest and the subsequent winemaking process.

The Winemaker's Notes

“4 Manus is a project that places collaboration between winegrowers at its heart. Wine quality begins in the vineyard, with the selection of the grapes and the relationship with the people who grow them. Fermentation and extended ageing in French oak accompany the Merlot towards greater complexity, while keeping craftsmanship and the dialogue between two producers at the centre of the project.”

— Yuri Stefani

Why We Chose It

We chose 4 Manus because it tells the story of wine through the people who make it.

This is more than simply a Merlot: it is a winemaking project that changes every year. The idea is to involve different winegrowers and, consequently, grapes from different areas. Each edition is intended to be different and unrepeatable, while collaboration remains the project's defining feature.

The Terroir

The Merlot behind 4 Manus 2023 comes from the area around Castel Noarna, in Nogaredo, on the hills of the Vallagarina valley in Trentino. Here, vineyards surround an ancient medieval castle, within a landscape shaped by rolling hills and a long agricultural tradition.

The calcareous, silty soils, rich in mineral components, and the valley's climate, with good sun exposure and cool summer breezes, provide the setting in which the grapes ripen.

It is from this territory that the 4 Manus project takes its starting point: a Merlot shaped by the shared work of the grower, who cultivates the vines, and the winemaker, who personally selects the grapes and oversees vinification. It is a meeting of skills and sensibilities that places the raw material and the identity of each vintage at the centre.

The Winery

Paolo Sandro Pettarin is a young winemaker who has built his career through years of hands-on experience, developing a personal approach to wine rooted in craftsmanship, experimentation and respect for the raw material.

A key stage in his development was his collaboration with Patrick Uccelli, alongside whom he worked as right-hand man both in the vineyards and in the cellar. This experience gave him first-hand insight into a winemaking philosophy based on minimal intervention, attention to natural processes and the desire to guide a wine without forcing its expression.

Paolo shares many of these principles, which he now reinterprets through his own viticultural and winemaking choices. His wines seek a balance between intervention and freedom of expression, driven by a willingness to experiment and to create distinctive bottles that stand apart from conventional styles.

Technical Details

Name: 4 Manus

Vintage: 2023

Grape variety: Merlot

Style: Red wine

Alcohol: 11.5% ABV

Project origin: Castel Noarna, Rovereto, Trentino, Italy

Vinification: Grapes crushed and destemmed; fermentation lasting approximately two weeks

Ageing: 2 years in new French oak barriques

Filtration: Unfiltered

Tasting Notes

Colour

An intense, vibrant ruby red.

Nose

Elegant aromas of small red berries and floral notes evolve towards riper fruit, with hints of cherry and spices from ageing in barriques.

Palate

At 11.5% ABV, this Merlot stands apart from more powerful and concentrated expressions of the variety. Extended ageing in French oak suggests a structured wine with developed notes and a spicy character.

Food Pairings

Enjoy it with:

• Tagliatelle with meat ragù

• Roasted meats

• Grilled meats

• Cured meats and charcuterie

• Mushrooms and autumn dishes

• Medium- to long-aged cheeses