Tombacco Origine Bianco I.G.T. (Orange Wine)

An ‘orange’ wine made by centuries old methods, using Grillo and Zibibbo. There is a gradual harvest as grapes become ripe at varying rates, with some being left to deliberately over ripen, with a higher concentration of natural sugars. Indigenous Sicilian yeasts naturally get the whole process going. The partially dried later harvest is added to the ferment, and moved to clay amphora, that are half buried in the ground. The following summer it undergoes clarification by gravity over 6 months and is then gently transferred to Chestnut barrels, where it stays for 2 years, acquiring a rich texture, colour, and aroma. The whole process is almost 4 years with very little intervention.

There is a real Sherry-esque nutiness about this wine, so it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so to speak. But if you like rich, textural whites, and enjoy pairings with such things as powerful aged cheeses, then this could be right up your street.

Quite a high residual sugar at 12g per litre. Vibrant orange in the glass, with a nose that clearly highlights Chestnut wood and dried apricots. The palate is full and nutty, with a slight vanilla edge. A persistent, long dried fruit finish.

Open bottle one hour before drinking.