2017 Bastianich Vespa Bianco

The Bastianich Family has become known in the USA for their many important Italian Restaurants, several at Michelin star level. Joe Bastianich also became famous with the TV show Master Chef. He is a valued jury member in both Master Chef USA and Italy. Founded in 1997, the Bastianich company consists of 40 hectares of vineyards. The original vineyard in Buttrio/Premariacco is located on the southern hills in the DOC. It is influenced by the warmth of the sea and is famous for the production of great wines. The second property, in Cividale del Friuli, is influenced by the bora, or northerly wind. The wines are by the cooler nights, much more aromatic. Both areas share similar soil, ponca, the crumbly sandstone gives the wines their signature mineral backbone.

Founded in 1997, the Bastianich winery strives to understand the history and culture of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and take it to a new level. We create unique wines that show remarkable strength and balance. Vespa Bianco is named after the ever-present wasps that are attracted to the ripe grapes.

The Vespa and the PLUS are Bastianich's flagship vehicles. Created in 1997, when the Friulian white wines are on the rise. Not easily made, but here time almost stands still and the wines are given plenty of time to come to fruition. The Vespa Bianco 2017 consists of equal parts Sauvignon and Chardonnay and 10% Picolit. The Vespa Bianco is a very complex wine and has a long life. Vespa Bianco can age well up to 7 – 12 years after the vintage. The grapes come from vineyards located on the hills of Buttrio, Premariacco and Cividale at an altitude of 130-160 with a south, southeast, southwest orientation. Each grape variety is harvested individually upon reaching optimal ripening. The grapes are selected on sorting benches before being gently pressed; from this operation a free-run must is obtained.

The 3 varieties that make up the Vespa Bianco ferment separately, 50% in stainless steel at a controlled temperature and the other 50% in oak barrels of 5 and 40 hectolitres. At the end of the fermentation, the wine remains on its yeasts (sur lie) and a long period of "batonnage" of around 9 months begins and then the wine undergoes a further year of bottle aging before it becomes available.

The Vespa Bianco is a beautiful wine that opens with softness and roundness due to the exuberant and ripe fruit produced in this vintage. The core of the fruit makes this wine feel tight and rich, and there is enough freshness to give the wine a lasting structure. In the nose the notes of wax, apricot and honey but with a fresh but structured impact. The minerality is incredible. Complex in the mouth, silky smooth and with some aging, the wine takes on an incredible finesse and elegance. Minerality and citrus fruits, develops more and more over time, beautiful expression of wild flowers, honey and older pear. The taste sensations are more like those of a red wine. The tannin structure and the acidic backbone lend themselves to a long life.