Masseria Surani Fiano Arthemis 2024

The Masseria Surani - Fiano Arthemis cuvée comes from the Masseria Surani estate, eighty hectares of vines in the heart of the Salento, in the Manduria area, near the Ionian coast, at the southern tip of Puglia. The vines, trained in Guyot and organically farmed, take root in fertile, permeable limestone soils, with a red-ochre colour due to their high iron content. The hot, sunny Mediterranean climate is tempered by sea breezes that preserve the freshness of Fiano.

Only the free-run juice, the finest juice, is used for this cuvée. It ferments for around fifteen days at low temperature, never above 12 °C, in stainless-steel tanks, in order to preserve all the aromatic delicacy of the grape variety. The wine, made without any oak, is then refined for around four months in bottle before release, which allows it to gain in harmony.

This wine reveals notes of white flowers, acacia, lemon, grapefruit, pineapple, mango, white peach and Mediterranean herbs. The fragrant, fresh nose combines flowers, citrus and tropical fruit. The pleasantly sapid, medium-bodied palate extends into a fresh, fragrant finish.

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!