Montecrocetta Santa Marie 2020

From the hills of Gambellara, in the province of Vicenza in the heart of the Veneto, Passitaia is made from Garganega, the emblematic grape variety of the region. The Montecrocetta and Monte di Mezzo vineyards lie on hillside soils made up of basaltic tuffs and volcanic materials, which give the wine a remarkable personality. Gambellara's temperate climate, influenced by the surrounding hills, favours slow, steady ripening of the grapes. This volcanic terroir is a particularly well-suited setting for making concentrated sweet wines that still retain lovely freshness.

Fermentation was carried out in neutral vats, extremely slowly, until the end of spring. 50% of the wine was then put into used barriques for 24 to 36 months, without topping up. The rest of the wine remained in neutral vats. A slow oxidation-reduction process then begins in the barriques, accompanied by a slight refermentation due to the native yeasts. The tank wines and barrique wines are finally blended for bottling.

This wine reveals notes of acacia honey, candied fruit, mirabelle plum, dried mango, dried flowers and ripe apricot, joined by hints of fig, dried fruit and incense. On the palate, the texture is sweet, ample and generous, carried by a remarkable concentration of fruit and residual sugar. Lively acidity nevertheless brings freshness and perfectly balances the richness of the wine. The texture is unctuous and enveloping, while the very long finish extends the honeyed, spicy and slightly balsamic notes.

Residual sugar: 110 g/l

Ah Italy, what a beautiful hedonistic country, people of the Dolce Vita, but what difficulty in understanding its wine organization! The key to understanding the naming system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous country because each region has its own naming system. Italy can, however, give wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, as well as bottles filled with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless and characterless wines which are sold under their most useful and commercially reputable name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco and many others...



But let's talk a little history, viticulture in Italy dates back to ancient times and it originated in Greece. The Etruscans would have planted vines and Greek immigrants would have improved and modified the grape varieties who subsequently called this country "Oenotria": the country of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life and certain regions already stood out for the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible testimony to their invasion.



Today Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic areas. The northern mountains experience a fairly harsh mountain climate. The “middle of the boot” plain is the domain of the continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the "southern part of the Italian boot" the Mediterranean climate reigns with very hot and very dry summers without forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In summary, Italy produces wines of great variety thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originate from their lands. It is a country just as complex as its wines which deserve to be explored!