Maculan Brentino Merlot Cabernet 2021

For most people outside the region, Maculan is Breganze. Stretching between the Alpine foothills and the Roman town of Vicenza, the Breganze vineyards can easily yield anonymous wines, but such is Fausto Maculan’s determination to transcend the norm that he manages to wring every last drop of character from his carefully grown grapes, be they local specialities like Vespaiola (the wasp-seducing basis of Torcolato and Acininobili) or international varieties that he has imported and planted. While the dessert wines are Maculan’s most famous export, the rest of the range should not be overlooked: both dry whites and reds offer fresh, vibrant varietal expressions, as well as a unique take on the Veneto style.