Planeta Chardonnay 2023

This Chardonnay comes from Planeta’s vineyards in the Menfi countryside, on the south-west coast of Sicily, in the province of Agrigento. The Ulmo and Maroccoli plots spread around Lake Arancio, between Mediterranean influences and inland hills. Planted on stony clay-limestone soils, they enjoy bright days, sea breezes and cooler nights that keep the grapes in balance. This Sicilian terroir, farmed with particular care for biodiversity, gives the wine its sun-kissed ripeness, freshness and fine mineral expression.

The grapes are harvested by hand in the early hours of the morning, then quickly cooled. After destemming and gentle pressing, the must is settled before fermenting in French oak barriques, 50% of them new. The wine is then aged for 11 months in barrique, followed by bottle ageing.

This wine reveals notes of yellow peach, grapefruit and pineapple, with hints of acacia blossom, honey and marzipan. Oak ageing adds delicate touches of vanilla, toast and hazelnut, while a mineral freshness underlines the whole. The palate is broad and silky, supported by lively acidity that stretches out the fruit. Its persistent finish combines a creamy feel, saline tension and an elegant toasty imprint.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful hedonistic country, home of the Dolce Vita, but how hard it is to understand how its wine is organised! The key to understanding Italy's appellation system is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single uniform one, since each region has its own appellation system. Yet Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavours and styles, as well as bottles full of surprise and creativity. Unfortunately it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most useful and commercially renowned names: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco and many others... But let us talk a little history: winegrowing in Italy goes back to the most distant antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and changed the grape varieties, later calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and some regions already stood out for the excellence of their produce. The Romans also planted many vineyards across Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquests. Today Italy is the largest wine producer in the world, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a fairly harsh mountain climate. The plain in the "middle of the boot" has a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. The "south of the boot" enjoys a Mediterranean climate with very hot, very dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a great variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of them native to its land. It is a country just as complex as its wines, and well worth exploring!