Grape blend: Pinot Grigio
Alcohol content: 14%
Acidity: 4.95 g/l
Residual sugars: 0.54 g/l
A Pinot Grigio from Tuscany!? It’s a region known for many grape varieties, but certainly not for this one, which is usually grown further north. And the location in which the vineyards grow, on a hillside in a nature reserve near to the town of San Gimignano, is also uncommon. Here the Pinot Grigio vines enjoy an ideal position as well as receiving the precious legacy of a singular geological background, in fact in prehistoric days the land there was a seabed, which gives the grapes distinct, extremely pleasant mineral notes. The 2024 season was characterised – like the recent ones in general – by a hot, dry summer, followed by rainfall towards the end. The harvest, which began before the rain arrived, yielded bunches of small grapes, with a high concentration of sugar but good acidity. The next step for La Vialla’s Pinot Grigio consisted in pressing the grapes whole. Alcoholic fermentation was lengthy and slow, with bâtonnage carried out regularly to keep the yeasts in suspension, making them an integral part of the wine. In fact, this Pinot Grigio is bottled “sur lies”, without being filtered, which preserves the integrity of its aromas and extends its “life”, because yeasts are the most important natural antioxidants in wines.
Tasting – Colour: this is unusual for a Pinot Grigio too, coppery pink and opalescent. It recalls the colours of a slightly hazy sunset and intensifies as time passes in the bottle. The nose: a seductive fruit salad; first juicy, velvety apricot, then Golden delicious apple and pear, elegant notes of pineapple, litchi and banana, accompanied by bitter almond and hints of grapefruit. Vanilla and, once more, bread crust, due to the presence of yeasts. In the mouth: silky, with good body, warm due to the alcohol content, but at the same time fresh with an acidic, mineral vein, it gives an almost sweet impression due to the yeasts, not to sugar, which is almost totally absent. It harmoniously pleases the palate with the same sensations perceived by the nose.
Wine and Food Pairing – It’s ideal with fatty fish such as salmon, with white fish accompanied by vegetables with an emulsion of oil and lemon, or grilled and served with mayonnaise, with a dish of seafood carbonara linguine, and also with shellfish, even in “cocktail” sauce. “Out of water” it happily accompanies appetizers such as crostini with onion and pecorino, with Tuscan Salsa Nera, or with sausage and stracchino. It’s excellent with penne with walnut pesto, fried chicken, or a tasty bell pepper and pecorino omelette, as well as with young cheeses.