Aleatico 2018

  The Aleatico Secco represents a fascinating rarity in the Puglian wine landscape, as this aromatic grape variety is traditionally mostly processed into sweet wines, but here, vinified dry, it reveals its entire floral elegance. To avoid masking the fine, almost perfumed nuances of rose petals, lychees, and fresh red fruits, the winemaker deliberately eschews the use of oak and relies on pure vinification in stainless steel tanks, which perfectly preserves the mineral freshness of the karst soils of Gioia del Colle in the wine.

In the mouth, the exciting contrast between the sweet-seeming scent and the completely dry, grippy taste experience provides a surprise, while soft tannins and a vital vein of acidity give the wine a firm backbone. This unusual structure makes it a brilliant partner for spicy Mediterranean cuisine, where it harmonizes particularly well with lamb chops in a herb crust or a plate of orecchiette with spicy tomato sauce, as it breaks up the heartiness of the dishes with its aromatic lightness. - Gerardo [TS10/19]