Principe Pallavicini Frascati Superiore 2014
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The Principe Pallavicini winery was established by one of Italy’s oldest noble families. With over 300 years of viticultural experience, the family focuses on the development of the winemaking business in order to produce wines of impeccable quality in the magical, inimitable Lazio terroir.
Principe Pallavicini represents the largest, private estate in Frascati. Of the 208 acres of vineyards at their Colonna (Pasolina and Marmorelle) and Cerveteri holdings, 133 acres are dedicated to the cultivation of white varietals for the production of Frascati DOCG. In-depth knowledge of the land has led to identifying the best vineyards, and after careful study and experimentation conducted in the field and in the cellar, these vineyards are producing increasingly more refined and enjoyable wines with their own outstanding personality.
The team of agronomist Mauro de Angelis, winemaker Carlo Ferrini and resident winemaker Carlo Roveda controls every aspect of production, from cultivation to bottling. Great efforts are taken to maintain the rich character of each varietal. Careful selection, chilled transportation and tailored vinification techniques ensure that the final wines have the bright, nuanced personality of the varietals that went into them.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
A warm, Mediterranean vine-growing paradise, in Abruzzo, the distance from mountains to seaside is relatively short. The Apenniness, which run through the center of Italy, rise up on its western side while the Adriatic Sea defines its eastern border.
Wine composition tends to two varieties: Abruzzo’s red grape, Montepulciano and its white, Trebbiano. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo can come in a quaffable, rustic and fruity style that generally drinks best young. It is also capable of making a more serious style, where oak aging tames its purely wild fruit.
Trebbiano in Abruzzo also comes in a couple of varieties. Trebbiano Toscana makes a simple and fruity white. However when meticulously tended, the specific Trebbiano d’Abruzzo-based white wines can be complex and long-lived.
In the region’s efforts to focus on better sites and lower yields, vine acreage has decreased in recent years while quality has increased.