White Wine Tenute Dettori Dettori Bianco 2020. With stunning views looking out over the Gulf of Turritano and the nearby island of Corsica, Tenute Dettori is set close to the town of Sennori in Sardinia’s northwestern corner. Wine has been made here for over 3000 years and Alessandro Dettori and his father today continue this ancient tradition making just 55,000 bottles of artisanal wines from their 29 hectares of vines. Alessandro is a passionate supporter of the biodynamic farming movement, and all of the work done on the estate aims to interfere with nature as little as possible. The grapes are grown without any use of chemicals and harvested by hand, and vinification is done using wild yeasts and minimal sulphites. Even their packaging has been carefully designed to minimise weight and to use recycled materials wherever possible. The family works only with typical indigenous grape varieties like this Vermentino which is considered Sardinia’s flagship white wine. Fermentation takes place in small cement tanks and the wine is left to age for 2-3 years here before bottling. The result is a truly unique and characterful Vermentino with a complex flavour profile boasting dried figs, ripe tropical fruit, and bready notes. On the palate there’s a medium body, gentle tannins and a very long finish with delicate notes of bitter almonds and stone fruit.
2020
White Wine Tenute Dettori Dettori Bianco 2020
White Wine Tony Bish Heartwood Chardonnay 2020. In 2013, Tony Bish founded the only winery in New Zealand that specialises in Chardonnay. The Burgundy grape has been a career-long focus for the self-proclaimed Chardonnista”. Although the brilliant terroir of Hawkes Bay is markedly different from Chardonnay’s home province, Tony Bish Wines have succeeded in creating a beautiful, unique range of wines based around the white varietal. The winery creates 6 wines in total, and all are special in different ways. The Heartwood Chardonnay was aged for 11 months in French oak barriques and has plenty of potential for ageing further in the bottle. In the glass, it is bright golden-yellow, with hints of green. Mouth-watering aromas of nectarine, pineapple, citrus and peach combine with earthy, warming spice components, such as ginger, cedar and oak. On the palate, it is silky and slightly chalky, with lively yellow fruits and classic Chardonnay notes of nut and brioche. An energetic current of acidity underpins the experience, leading you towards a long, complex finish. The Heartwood Chardonnay is versatile enough to pair with a wide variety of food but will go particularly well with some chicken, pork, or fish.
2020
White Wine Tselepos Canava Chrissou Santorini Assyrtiko 2020. No need to decant. The joint venture between Yiannis Tselepos and the Chrissou family of Santorini is one of the most exciting projects in Greece. The old Chrissou family vineyards were revived in 2013 and today produce wines of exceptional quality from indigenous varieties, with yields of around 3-3.5 tons per hectare. The Assyrtiko grapes are sourced from 50 to 100 years old vines planted in the areas of Pyrgos, Emporio and Megalochori on typical Santorini’s sandy volcanic soils, rich in pumice stone and ash. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature with selected yeasts and the wine is then left to age on the lees for about 3 months. This delicious white wine is a true expression of the Assyrtiko grape and the volcanic soil of the island of Santorini. A well structured and terroir-driven Assyrtiko, reminiscent of the warm sun and blue sea of Greece. The color is a bright straw yellow. The nose reveals aromas of citrus and flint with some iodized notes. In the mouth it is solid and balanced, intense and elegant, with fruity flavors that show excellent persistence. The acidity is perfectly integrated. The minerality is intense, and there is a touch of salinity that lingers in the mouth for a long time. Pair it with oysters, sea carpaccio and vegetable and goat cheese tarts.
2020