Poggio al Tufo Vermentino 2024

The Poggio al Tufo - Vermentino cuvée is born in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma, in southern Tuscany, not far from the Tyrrhenian Sea. The grapes come from the Montebuono vineyard, on the Tenuta Rompicollo in Pitigliano, an ancient Etruscan town built on tuff, and from the Tenuta Albore in Scansano. The soils, of volcanic origin, enjoy good exposure and excellent ventilation, while sea breezes temper the summer heat and preserve the freshness of Vermentino.

After destemming and crushing, the must undergoes a short cold maceration (cryomaceration) with its skins, in order to extract the aromatic precursors of the grape variety. Fermentation is then conducted slowly, at low temperature, to preserve the finesse of the aromas. Finally, the wine is refined for five months in stainless-steel tanks, without any oak, which keeps its liveliness, sapidity and purity of fruit intact.

This wine reveals notes of yellow peach, pineapple, passion fruit, lemon, green apple, white flowers, rosemary and flint. The nose offers intense aromas of ripe and exotic fruit. The delicately aromatic, slender and lively palate ends on a saline finish, with lovely sapidity and good persistence.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful, hedonistic country, the land of la dolce vita, but how difficult it is to understand its wine industry! The key to understanding the appellation system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous nation, as each region has its own appellation system. Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, bottles brimming with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most commercially useful and prestigious name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco, and many others... But let's talk a little history. Viticulture in Italy dates back to antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and modified the grape varieties, subsequently calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and certain regions already distinguished themselves by the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquest. Today, Italy is the world's largest wine producer, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a rather harsh mountain climate. The plains of the "central boot" are characterized by a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the southern part of the Italian boot, the Mediterranean climate prevails, with very hot and dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a wide variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originated in its own lands. It is a country as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!