Our tasting impressions
This is a riveting, bracing and joyous white wine. The nose offers way more drama than expected from something so modestly priced. It's remarkably crisp. The citrus, floral and spicy flavors are delectable and uplifting. Super wine and incredible value!
About this wine
A blend of 85% Vermentino and 15% Fiano di Avellino. The grapes are manually harvested and vinifed separately. The process begins with a cold maceration for about 3-6 hours, followed by fermentation in stainless steel with the addition of selected yeasts at a controlled temperature of 16 °C. It's stored In steel containers on the noble lees for 3-4 months and released 2 months after bottling.
About the grape
Vermentino grows in much of the Mediteranean coastal regions and islands. It is most prevalent in Liguria, western Tuscany and Sardinia. Theories about it's origins are wide-ranging. It is incredibly easy to cultivate, highly resistant to disease and drought and early ripening - truly a farmer's delight.
Fiano is best known for the white wines produced in volcanic soil, in and around Campania.
Suggested Glassware: Grassl Mineralité
A few of the wines from this estate are labelled Sator. In Latin, this means one who plants from the minor Roman god of agriculture. It features in the famous, yet mysterious, Sator Square.
There is nothing mysterious about Gianni Moscardini's azienda in the village of Pomaia in the northern Tuscan Maremma. This is the west coast, near Pisa. The Moscardini family has owned this land for 2 centuries but Gianni was the first to plant vines in its varied soils in 2008.
Production is 50,000 bottles annually from 13ha at an elevation of about 180m. The vines are trained in the Guyot system. They make DOC Montescudaio from grapes like Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc and Merlot as well as an array of Toscana IGT from Italian varieties not necessarily associated with Tuscany. All of the varieties are planted in at least 2 plots - each with a different soil composition.
Gianni is an agronimist and his wife Mari is a plant biologist. Together, they have deeply studied the soils and terroir of their land to determine the best nature and approach to plantings. Their credo is to produce wines that fit seamlessly with the land in which they are planted, which is why they vinify the grapes from each plot separately prior to blending.
