IN BREVE
- Dodas is an initiative bringing together twelve wineries from Canton Ticino to promote Merlot, a symbol of Swiss winemaking.
- The association aims to showcase the diversity of Ticino terroirs and strengthen collaboration between producers.
- Each winery presents Merlot according to its own interpretation, highlighting the unique identity of the producer and the territory.
- The project aims to tell the story of the plurality of Ticino wines, which are capable of competing internationally with this grape variety.
- Dodas promotes a collective narrative of Merlot, combining experience, tradition, and innovation among producers.
Dosas. Meaning Twelve, in the Ticino dialect. Twelve wineries from Canton Ticino join forces to promote one of the symbols of Swiss winemaking: Ticino Merlot. The association brings together twelve independent producers with the goal of telling the story, through their wines, of the diversity of Ticino terroirs and the stylistic richness of this grape variety.
The initiative stems from a shared desire to collaborate and jointly promote Merlot del Ticino. A grape variety that represents 76% of the canton’s vineyard area and has formed the heart of local viticulture for over a century.
The Dodas association brings together family-run wineries, often involved in all stages of production. From vineyard cultivation to winemaking and wine marketing. The goal is to show how the same grape variety can express different identities depending on the soil, microclimate, and enological choices.
DODAS AND THE PROMOTION OF TICINO MERLOT
The Dodas project was born with the idea of presenting Ticino Merlot through twelve different interpretations, each linked to the producer’s personality and the territory of origin. In a complex market phase for wine, the initiative also aims to strengthen the spirit of collaboration between winemakers and more effectively communicate the identity of Merlot del Ticino.
The philosophy is simple: unite expertise and visions to promote a common heritage. The producers involved share a craft approach to viticulture and winemaking and intend to showcase the plurality of the canton’s territories, from Sopraceneri, characterized by granitic soils and a cooler climate, to Sottoceneri, where the vineyards find milder and sunnier conditions.
The result is a collective narrative of Ticino Merlot, capable of highlighting how a single grape variety can generate wines that are very different from each other in style, structure, and aromatic expression.
THE TWELVE WINERIES THAT MAKE UP DODAS and promote Ticino Merlot
The association brings together twelve wine-producing entities distributed across the Canton Ticino territory:
- Azienda Mondò
- Cantina Hauser
- Cantina Monti
- Cantina Pelossi
- Cantina Settemaggio
- Fawino
- Hubervini
- Kopp von der Crone Visini
- Moncucchetto
- Tenuta Castello di Morcote
- Tenuta San Giorgio
- Zündel Azienda Agricola
These are companies united by limited production and a strong territorial identity, often linked to hillside vineyards and artisanal viticulture practices.
TICINO MERLOT FROM TWELVE FAMILY-RUN WINERIES
Many of the wineries involved are family businesses that have operated for generations in the Ticino wine scene. Azienda Mondò, Cantina Monti, and Cantina Pelossi represent examples of companies rooted in the territory and focused on promoting local vineyards. Cantina Hauser and Cantina Settemaggio carry out artisanal-scale production, with a strong focus on grape quality and careful winemaking.
Among the best-known entities is Kopp von der Crone Visini, a Sottoceneri winery with long experience in producing Merlot with territorial character. Alongside it are entities like Moncucchetto, located on the hills of Lugano, and Tenuta Castello di Morcote, which cultivates vineyards overlooking Lake Lugano.
The network is completed by companies such as Tenuta San Giorgio, Hubervini, Fawino, and Zündel Azienda Agricola, all committed to promoting Ticino vineyards through targeted and often small-scale production.
A NEW NETWORK TO TELL THE STORY OF TICINO MERLOT
With Dodas, Ticino producers intend to strengthen the collective narrative of Merlot, a grape variety introduced to Canton Ticino at the beginning of the twentieth century after the phylloxera crisis and which has over time become the symbol of local viticulture.
Today, Merlot del Ticino is considered one of the most identifying expressions of Swiss wine, capable of competing in international competitions and representing the territory also through modern interpretations, such as Merlot vinified as white or rosé.
Through Dodas, twelve winemakers choose to pool their experience to tell the story of this grape variety from different perspectives. A project that combines territorial identity, collaboration between producers, and international promotion of Ticino Merlot.
