2020 Fontefico 'Dire Bere Baciare' Bianco Macerato
2020 Fontefico 'Dire Bere Baciare' Bianco Macerato
Region: Vasto < Abruzzo < Italy
Grape: Malvasia
Vineyard/Cellar Stats: Certified organic farming; iron, sand, clay soils; macerated on skins for 14 days, then spends 12 months in on the lees before bottling, without fining or filtering or additional sulfur, then rests another 3 months in bottle; 12.5% ABV
Winemakers: Nicola and Emanuele Altieri
In 1996, brothers Nicola + Emanuele Altieri established Fontefico, a certified organic estate in the beautiful Vasto gulf on the Southern Abruzzo coast (think central Italy, east and opposite of Lazio and the city of Rome, bordering the Adriatic Sea). Supported by their dad Alessandro, an expert agronomist, the duo began to experiment the different estate’s vineyards with lots of micro-vinifications, always with fresh acidity and deep fruit thanks to the strong breeze coming from the Adriatic sea.
We first fell for their pink wine, the Cerasuolo, but once we sampled their orange wine, made in super tiny quantities (the bottles are hand numbered!), we had to have it. Another year later, this super special 'Dire Bere Baciare' (translates to 'say, drink, kiss') arrived. It is Malvasia that rests on the skins for roughly two weeks, then another year in barrel on the lees. They only make it in the best vintage years. Complex and structured, with soft but definitely-there tannins, peaches and apricots, green tea dryness, salty minerality and stone fruit aromatics from the Malvasia, this is a gorgeous wine for cheese, veggie dishes or contemplation. Serve chilled but not icy cold.