Let's talk little, let's talk wine
Fabio Gea's Green Palma is born on the hills of the Langhe, in Piedmont, northwestern Italy, around the small town of Neive, not far from Barbaresco. The vines, planted on well-exposed slopes, rest on the marl-limestone soils typical of the region, combining clays, sands, and layers of limestone that promote beautiful grape maturity. This rolling landscape, with a continental climate tempered by the influence of the Alps and the Ligurian Sea, offers ideal conditions for producing red wines of character and great finesse.
This wine reveals notes of crisp red fruits, ripe dark fruits, and floral touches, enhanced by delicate spicy accents and a subtly woody nuance. On the palate, the texture is juicy, carried by a lively acidity that extends the tasting experience, fine but present tannins structure the whole, and the finish, medium to long, leaves an impression of freshness and balance, with a persistent return of sweet spices and a slight mineral touch.
Where are we traveling?
Monferrato
It is located in southern Piedmont, in northwest Italy, stretching between the banks of the Po to the north and the first foothills of the Ligurian Apennines to the south, an hour's drive southeast of Turin. The vineyard unfolds over an enchanting landscape of gentle, rolling hills, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2014, between 150 and 500 meters above sea level, dotted with perched medieval villages, crenelated castles, and Romanesque churches that bear witness to a thousand-year history. Viticulture has been attested there since Roman antiquity, but it was in the Middle Ages that the great noble Piedmontese families — the Gonzagas, the Palaiologos, the Savoys — structured the vineyard around their strongholds, making wine an economic and cultural pillar of the region. Long overshadowed by its illustrious neighbors Barolo and Barbaresco, Monferrato experienced a spectacular renaissance starting in the 1980s, when a generation of passionate winemakers rediscovered the potential of its indigenous grape varieties and its hilly terroirs, until then dedicated to peasant and confidential viticulture. The climate is temperate continental, characterized by hot and dry summers, misty autumns conducive to late harvests, and harsh winters, with a Mediterranean influence that rises through the Ligurian valleys and brings an unexpected mildness for such a northern latitude. The soils alternate between calcareous marls, clays, tuffs, and sands of marine origin, remnants of an ancient sea that covered the Po plain millions of years ago. Monferrato has established itself as a treasure of Piedmontese diversity thanks to its generous and juicy Barbera, its delicate and peppery Grignolino, its fragrant and slightly sparkling Freisa, its spicy and captivating Ruché — a very rare grape variety of which Castagnole Monferrato is the exclusive stronghold — and its sparkling and golden Moscato d'Asti, offering a range of wines of a variety and authenticity that few regions in the world can match.
The little history of the country
Italy
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!