“Benefizio” Pomino Bianco Riserva DOC 2024

Marchesi Frescobaldi / Castello Pomino | Tuscany

09020224 · 0,75 l · 42,67 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately

In 1716, Grand Duke Cosimo III de' Medici designated Pomino as one of only four Tuscan regions for so-called "quality wine", alongside Chianti, Carmignano and the Val d'Arno di Sopra – an early precursor to today's DOC classification. On the cool slopes, 700 metres above sea level amongst giant sequoias and chestnut trees, this led to the creation in 1973 of the Benefizio, the very first Italian white wine ever to be fermented and matured in barriques.

At this altitude, sandy soils with good water retention and a south-facing aspect prolong the ripening period and give the Chardonnay a freshness and minerality rarely found in Tuscany – the very freshness that already distinguished Pomino's wines when they were awarded a gold medal in Paris in 1878. Harvested by hand and gently pressed, the must ferments in barriques – half new and half previously used – where it undergoes malolactic fermentation and is then aged on the fine lees with regular bâtonnage, before bottling brings the wine to its final harmony.

Straw-yellow with golden highlights. Fresh and mineral, the bouquet opens with orange blossom and citrus, followed by white flowers and ripe, almost exotic fruit. Juicy and crisp on the palate, with a hint of honey in the finish. A Chardonnay that proves once again why Tuscany has long since ceased to be a classic red wine region. SUPERIORE.DE