Smooth barrel-fermented Viognier wine from southern Tuscan Maremma. Rich flavours of almond, apricot and green tea

This limited edition wine (only 1,300 bottles made) hails from the hillside vineyard in Maremma Grossetana. Planted on red clay soils, it is sandwiched between the hilltop medieval town of Capalbio and the Tyrrhenian sea.

Winemaking

The Viognier grapes are picked at the end of August – first days of September, when they are fully ripe, but not over-ripe. The exact harvest time is very important to make sure this finicky grape has developed all of its rich aromas, yet hasn’t lost its acidity. In the winery, grapes are gently pressed at only 0.6 atm. The freshly-pressed juice is then kept at 8°C for 24 hours to absorb precious fragrance from the grape skins. The wine then undergoes alcoholic fermentation at a very low temperature of 16°C, in small, 225-litre French oak barriques. During that time, the wine picks up sweet undertones of vanilla and caramel.

Finally, it is left to mature on the lees for five months, again in small French oak barriques. Here, it develops extra layers and complex aromas of toast and ginger.

Tasting notes

In the glass, Villa Pinciana Viognier has an attractive pale gold colour. The wine opens up with aromas of almonds, daffodil, chamomile and yellow grapefruit zest. The palate reveals notes of ginger, green tea and apricots. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this wine is it smooth and creamy texture. The wine doesn’t have a high level of alcohol, and is finely balanced.

Ageing potential

10 years

Awards

Decanter World Wine Awards 2018 – Silver Medal (2016 vintage) | Decanter World Wine Awards 2017 – Silver Medal (2015 vintage)