White Wine Masciarelli Castello di Semivicoli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2018. Masciarelli is today one of Abruzzo’s benchmark wineries for premium wines thanks to the visionary work of founder Gianni Masciarelli. Gianni spent a summer in Champagne in his youth and soon realised that his native Abruzzo also had the potential to make top quality wines rather than the mass-produced wines that were the norm at that time. Before long he founded his own winery in 1981 with just 5 acres of land set around his grandfather’s old house. Over the next few decades Gianni exceeded even his own expectations, growing the estate to 900 acres and winning a total of 29 prestigious Tre Bicchieri awards for his exceptional wines. Although he sadly passed away in 2008, the Masciarelli legacy continues to this day with his wife Marina and oldest daughter Miriam at the helm of the winery. This elegant white wine is named after the magnificent Castello di Semivicoli which towers over the vineyards in Casacanditella. The grapes are carefully harvested in mid-October at optimum ripeness with a short maceration on the skins to extract plenty of aromas and flavours. The must then ferments in stainless steel tanks and the young wine matures in the bottle for 12 months. This helps to highlight the luscious bright fruit character with notes of papaya, apple, quince and lime as well as plenty of freshness and vibrancy on the palate.
2018
White Wine Masciarelli Castello di Semivicoli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2018
White Wine Matetic EQ Chardonnay 2018. The Matetic family winery was founded in 1999 after several years of attentive study and analysis of the local terroir in Chile’s Rosario Valley. Prior to this the family had been successful sheep farmers down in Punta Arenas ever since their arrival in Chile from their Croatian homeland in 1892. Their philosophy centres around producing top quality grapes by following organic and biodynamic principles in the vineyard and winery to work in alignment with Mother Nature wherever possible. The grapes for this stunning Chardonnay are sourced from the Rosario Valley in San Antonio where the vines are planted on sandy and clay soils. Once ripe the grapes are harvested by hand and rigorously selected before being fermented using native yeasts in French oak barrels. The wine is then left to rest on the lees for 12 months with battonage or lees stirring during the first six months to add extra complexity. The voluptuous flavour profile of this Chardonnay make it a great match for roasted chicken, pastas served in a rich, creamy sauce, or a variety of cheeses. On the nose there are attractive hints of honey, ripe peaches, and zesty citrus while on the palate there’s a well-rounded texture, full body and streak of freshness which brings balance and harmony.
2018
White Wine Michel Rolland Mariflor Sauvignon Blanc 2018. Mariflor is a line of wines from the legendary Bordeaux oenologist Michel Rolland, and part of his foray into Argentinian terroir. These wines are all sourced from the enormous Mariflor vineyard, which spans 247 acres within the Clos de Los Siete estate, and is managed by Michel and his wife Dany. Situated in Uco Valley at the foot of the Andes Mountains and an elevation of 1100 metres, the Mariflor vineyard is in the perfect position for growing brilliantly concentrated grapes. For an even purer expression, the grapes are fermented in egg-shaped concrete tanks, before a stage of malolactic fermentation in French oak casks. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc wine is bright yellow in the glass, with hues of green. It has a clear, fresh perfume, with strong nutty notes, ripe citrus, yellow fruit, and classic vegetal and herbal aromas. The palate is bright, round and aromatic, echoing the scents introduced on the nose. Toasted almonds and hazelnut, ripe fruits and ginger root are all present. It has a wiry acidic backbone that drives the wine’s long finish. Pair it with focaccia, asparagus, chicken or seafood dishes.
2018