Casale della Ioria 'Colle Bianco' Passerina del Frusinate 2023 (750 ml)

100% Passerina del Frusinate

The Casale della Ioria ‘Colle Bianco’ is the estate’s bright and crisp white wine that showcases the local Passerina grape in 100% form. The grapes grow on the gorgeous red and white clay soils of this farm and see a green pruning to focus this variety’s healthy growth. Before harvest, grapes are taken to create a pied de cuve for the wine, where the heathy natural yeasts thrive and assist the main harvest with a strong and healthy natural fermentation in stainless steel (which lasts about 10 – 15 days typically). The wine does not go through malo and is racked into tank with just the fine lees and remains there for at least 3 months before bottling. The resulting wine has lovely aromatics of honeysuckle, waxy lime, raw honey, and lemon-thyme, and leads to a fresh and exuberant palate that is remarkably easy drinking. The mouth is clean and balanced with its moderate acidity, packed with white peach, crisp green apple, stoney minerals, and an almond blossom finish.

Casale della Ioria is a renowned winery, considered to be the most influential in the 1000-year-old region of Ciociaria in Lazio, Italy. They are the undisputed kings of the Cesanese del Piglio area, and their success is generations deep, with a start in 1921. Paolo Perinelli took over the winery in 1981 and is responsible for the esteemed DOCG status that the area now enjoys. The property is located in the commune of Acuto, sitting atop a hill overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, at an altitude of about 400 meters. The estate is a stunningly beautiful property of forests, olive trees, and vines, and is dedicated to organic farming. The land is kept as natural as possible, with animals allowed to graze and roam freely, and biodiversity encouraged to create a unique ecosystem. The acidic clay soils of the estate range in color like an earth rainbow, from bright yellow browns to deep chocolate hues and vibrant reds, imparting unique influences to the grapes that grow. Although they specialize in Cesanese d’Affile, they also cultivate small plantings of the stunning Olivella Nera, the fresh local white grape Passerina, and the complex Bellone.

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