Ottomani, "Toscana Bianco" 2019

Producer: Ottomani, or “Eight Hands,” casts the origin of this winery and its aim into focus: a project borne out by friends in arms from the central Tuscan foothills outside the city limits of Florence, a project that focuses on the artisanal upshot of handspun wine. Working with local varietals like Canaiolo, Trebbiano, Sangiovese, Malvasia, Ciliegiolo, and Colorino, Ottomani has rescuscitated some very old vines that had once been abandoned, amidst a sea of olive groves. In this way – as is typical of the region – they produce their own range of olive oils in addition to their wines. It sounds idyllic – and the wines capture some of the sunny & winsome curiosity that undergirds the best of especially macerated white wines. There is a bit of flair, a bit of mystery, with a core of something true, simple, and honest. These are the perfect kinds of wines with which to transition to the summer months. Most of the soils here are perfectly suited to the cultivation of low-yielding, chemical-free grapvines: rocky and tough with striations of limestone, clay, and galestro. Most of the fermentation and aging vessels are made of concrete or cement.

Vinification: Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca from 40 year old limestone rich vineyards. Biodynamic and organic. Grapes are hand-harvested and macerated with the skins for 2 days. Fermentation takes place with wild yeasts, and is aged over the winter. Bottled unfined, unfiltered with a touch of SO2. 

Tasting: Floral, playful and vibrant. On the nose, lots of citrus, lemon and wildflowers. The texture is light and crisp, with bright citrus fruits and salty ocean water. We <3 Trebbiano.