2019 Podere Alberese 'Aprilante'

Grapes: Trebbiano

Region: Chianti <Tuscany <Italy

Viticulture/ cellar stats: Certified organic farming; tufa and clay soils; whole cluster pressed then fermentation and aging, then malolactic fermentation, in stainless steel; bottled unfined/unfiltered with <25ppm added So2; 11% ABV

Winemaker: Lucia and Fabio Bozzano 

Podere Alberese is a small family run estate near Siena in southern Tuscan, a gorgeous property with a woman owner/winemaker that also has a chic little agriturismo operation (so you can stay here on your next Tuscany tour!).  Purchased by Lucia Bozzano's family in 1995, the estate was then essentially in ruins.  After studying winemaking in Milan, Lucia returned home to Tuscany to help rehabilitate Podere Alberese into the vibrant farm it is today, filled with fruit trees, olive groves and of course, vines.  Lucia is committed to maintaining traditional, low-intervention winemaking techniques because she says her goal is to capture "Tuscan terroir in a bottle".  Organic farming is the foundation of her work, and the estate was certified organic in 2007.  Oh, and they have a gorgeous agriturismo too, at which you can, and totally should, stay on your next Tuscan tour.

Their bread-and-butter is Sangiovese, as with most estates in Tuscany, and they do make a lovely, fresh Chianti that we've featured before.  But they've always had white Trebbiano grapes growing together in those Sangio vineyards, because historically Chianti was was made with a blend of red (mostly) and white.  And we're really loving Lucia's fresh, energetic take on Trebbiano that is from a different planet than the ubiquitous flat, boring Tuscan Trebbianos you find throughout the region.  Sporting a cute label, drawn by Lucia herself, and inspired by a drawing from her then 5-year old son, it tastes like under-ripe apricots and crisp pears frolicking in a field of yellow daisies. We especially love the mineral crunch on the finish.