Planeta Burdese 2018

Burdese comes from Planeta’s vineyards around Menfi, on the south-west coast of Sicily, in the province of Agrigento. The Dispensa and Maroccoli plots enjoy a bright Mediterranean climate, tempered by sea breezes from the Mediterranean. The soils, rich in clay and limestone, hold enough water to see the Bordeaux grape varieties through to ripeness under the Sicilian sun. This setting between sea and hills preserves freshness in the grapes while bringing generous ripeness and a deeply Mediterranean expression.

The grapes are harvested by hand, destemmed and fermented in stainless-steel tanks, with a maceration of about fourteen days. The wine is then aged for fourteen months in new French oak barriques.

This wine reveals notes of blackcurrant, ripe plum and black cherry, lifted by touches of violet, black pepper and Mediterranean herbs. Oak ageing adds hints of cedar, toasted wood, cocoa and tobacco. The palate is broad and deep, with a velvety texture, acidity that keeps it balanced and tight yet ripe tannins. The long, savoury finish extends the freshness and spicy accents.

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!