Chardonnay Alberta Ferretti, the made in Italy signed by Feudi del Pisciotto

South-eastern Sicily, in the splendid Val di Noto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its testimonies of Sicilian Baroque art and more.

Here stands an ancient estate born from the skilled conservative restoration of an eighteenth-century fortress: we are talking about Cantina Feudi del Pisciotto, located in the territory of the Denominazione d'Origine Controllata e Garantita Cerasuolo di Vittoria, a wine-growing area we have already explored when writing about the Frappato di Valle delle Ferle and the Syrah vertical tasting at Casa di Grazia.

The winery, which extends over 44 hectares between Piazza Almerina, Caltagirone and Vittoria, is a relatively recent establishment. The vineyards were planted only in 2002 at an altitude ranging between 100 and 250 metres above sea level, just a few kilometres from the coast: a favourable position that benefits from sea breezes and the temperature swings between day and night. The winery produces approximately 400,000 bottles across 16 labels and is owned by publisher Paolo Panerai, who also owns Castellare di Castellina and Rocca di Frassinello in Tuscany, and whom we have already encountered in the account of his Chianti Classico.

Feudi del Pisciotto combines respect for tradition and territory with the most modern agronomic techniques in the vineyard and advanced technologies in the cellar. The ancient winemaking process is used, relying solely on gravity as the means of moving the must. Indeed, the hand-harvested grapes, after careful sorting and destemming, are allowed to slide by gravity into the vats in the cellar, saving energy and limiting carbon dioxide emissions. Most importantly, this approach prevents the deterioration of the quality of the raw material caused by the use of mechanical equipment.

Today we will discuss the Chardonnay Alberta Ferretti, a wine belonging to the Collezione Grandi Stilisti, a line born from Paolo Panerai's idea of bringing together, under the banner of excellence, great wines and labels signed by Italy's most important fashion designers – the ultimate expression of our made in Italy. Among all non-native white-berry grape varieties, the great grape variety of Burgundy is perhaps the one that has best adapted to the various terroirs of Sicily. The Chardonnay vineyard of Feudi del Pisciotto is located in the municipality of Niscemi, in the hilly hinterland of Gela, in the province of Caltanissetta. The first vintage of this wine was 2007.

The Chardonnay vines are trained in spur-pruned cordon with a density of 6,000 plants per hectare, with a yield of only 55 quintals. The grape harvest takes place around mid-August. In the cellar, vinification is carried out in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature, followed by malolactic fermentation. The wine then matures in barrique for a period of 8 months, completing its refinement with a further 8 months in bottle.

Let us move on to the tasting of Chardonnay Alberta Ferretti 2018.

Straw yellow in colour with golden hues and crystal clarity, the varietal notes of the wine are clearly evident. The olfactory profile is fruity, full and intense, with initial hints of broom blossom, then apple and ripe yellow peach, an explosion of tropical aromas of pineapple. It then opens to more territorial notes of aromatic herbs from the Mediterranean scrubland, with iodine and marine sensations, a dusting of white pepper, delivering an olfactory spectrum that is intense and complex. On the palate the sip is broad, beautifully balanced and pleasurable. The wine expresses freshness and intensity, with a long, pleasantly savoury finish and fruity and mentholated returns.

A Chardonnay of great craftsmanship yet equally great drinkability, destined to evolve further and worth tasting again in at least a couple of years – I very much enjoyed it paired with a grilled salmon steak. But this is a wine of great versatility which, beyond seafood preparations, can wonderfully accompany white meat dishes and vegetable-based recipes.