Tormaresca Chardonnay Castel Del Monte Pietra Bianca 2011

Winery: Tormaresca

Varietal: Chardonnay

There are few white wine grape varietals as famous or widely appreciated as the Chardonnay, and with good reason. This highly flexible and adaptable grape quickly became a favorite of wineries due to its fairly neutral character. This neutrality allows the wineries to really show off what they are capable of doing, by allowing features of their terroir or aging process to come forward in the bottle. As well as this, most high quality wineries which produce Chardonnay wines take great efforts to induce what is known as malolactic fermentation, which is the conversion of tart malic acids in the grapes to creamy, buttery lactic acids associated with fine Chardonnay. Whilst the popularity of Chardonnay wines has fluctuated quite a considerable amount over the past few decades, it seems the grape varietal allows enough experimentation and versatility for it always to make a successful comeback.

Region: Puglia

The beautiful southern Italian region of Puglia is a particularly fascinating wine region for fans of modern Italian produce. For much of the twentieth century, the region was considered one associated primarily with the kind of mass produced, dull Italian wine which almost cost the country its reputation in the 1970s. However, Puglian wine makers today are determined to prove to the world that their wineries and native grape varietals can match those of Italy's more famous regions, and have been on a mission to produce stunning wines made in the traditional, distinctive Puglian style. This generally means wines with big characters, a relatively high alcohol content, and plenty of dark, deep, complex fruit flavors and aromas; wines which are unique, made with traditional methods and techniques, and which are utterly delicious and inviting.

Country: Italy

It isn't difficult to understand why Italy is famed not just for the quality of its wines, but also for the vast variety and range of characteristics found in the wines there. The terrain of the country varies wildly, from the lush rolling green hills and valley of Tuscany, to the sun drenched rocky coasts of Sicily, the mountainous and alpine regions of the north, and the marshy lowlands of the east. Italy really does have a little bit of everything. Combine this huge range of landscapes with an almost perfect climate for grape cultivation, and you have a country seemingly designed for viticultural excellence. The results speak for themselves, and it is clear to see that wine has become an inseparable part of Italian culture as a result of its abundance and brilliance. Each village, city and region has a local wine perfectly matched with the cuisine of the area, and not an evening passes without the vast majority of Italian families raising a glass of locally sourced wine with pride and pleasure.