Leaving Perugia heading north towards Umbertide, just over ten kilometers away, on the first hills overlooking the upper Tiber valley (here the DOC Colli Altotiberini begins), Marco Merli has been driving for about 10 years - with the important contribution and pragmatism of his father Enzo - 7 hectares of vineyards planted with traditional Umbrian vines. He comes to viticulture by chance, the vineyards were destined to become a pastime for the retirement of his father who in 2000 bought them because they were part of a property where his grandfather had worked in the past. Marco arrives there some time later. He leaves a role as designer in the field of fashion to find fulfillment in the vineyard and in the land, while maintaining a certain aesthetic taste in the conception of the labels, expression of a minimal and essential style for his wines. Over time, he joins the first vineyards with others rented for 40-50 years, taking over and recovering abandoned lands and varieties. Minor lands and grapes one could say, a DOC that of the Altotiberini Hills, never claimed despite being among the longest-lived in Umbria and with too little appeal to find diffusion and promotion even on a global market. Many traditional grapes are vinified (Sangiovese and Trebbiano are the masters but also Grechetto, Malvasia di Candia, Verdello, Moscato, Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, etc) each in its own container (concrete or large wood) thus fragmenting one production out of 13 different wines for a total that does not exceed 17,000 bottles. Healthy and respectful viticulture, with total grassing of the rows, absence of pesticides, to seek a coexistence even of weeds useful for the overall balance. No fidelity to particular agricultural practices, but a constant desire for experimentation and the search for vitality in the vineyard. Only treatments based on copper and sulfur and in the cellar only spontaneous fermentations. "We make no compromises with chemistry and the little cellar technology is used outside and not inside the wine". Wines that are always evolving, in progress, "sometimes photonic, sometimes simply drinkable", cheeky wines but loyal in telling a vintage, a land, a varietal and a sensitivity of a winemaker who is always careful to bring them in harmony in their bottles. Marco Merli is a partner of VinNatur.