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What We Say 2010 Sillery Pinot Nero White
EXCLUSIVE WINE ALERT:
Today’s unique white Pinot Noir is extremely limited in allocation and is only available in The U.S. retail market through The Wine Spies.
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Mission Codename: The Red Clay of Lombardy
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Secure an exclusive allocation of a rare Italian white for our operatives.
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Frecciarossa
Wine Subject: 2010 Sillery Otrepo Pavese Pinot Nero White
Winemaker:
Backgrounder: The Otrepo Pavese in Italy’s Lombardy region, represents over 40 communes south of the Po River. Many of the vineyards and wineries in this region sell their grapes to wineries in the Piedmont. Some of the specialized wines in this region include the Oltrepo Pavese Buttafucco and Altrepo Pavese Sangue di Giuda. Today’s selection is 100% Pinot Nero but is vinified to keep the wine a refreshing white.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Brilliantly clear and extremely pale straw-yellow in color that becomes nearly clear at the edges. When swirled, this wine settles quickly in the glass and leaves widely spaced medium legs on the side of the glass.
Smell – Fresh and bright with aromas of tart citrus along with hints of fresh tropical and red fruit as well. Just under the fruit are notes of white flower blossoms, soft exotic spice and even subtle green herbal and mineral notes.
Feel – This dry white wine is full-bodied with vibrant and fresh acidity that frames the fruit and other flavors. Fine tannins and mineral notes hit at the mid-palate and dries the tongue as the flavors linger.
Taste – Flavors of fresh citrus, tropical and red fruit are framed by white floral notes. Tart, almost tingly acidity and mineral notes keeps the flavor profile fresh and lively as the citrus lingers on and on.
Finish – Clean, and long with the tart and tangy citrus fruit lasting and drying the palate as the floral, mineral and soft herbal notes fade.
Conclusion – The 2010 Frecciarossa Sillery Oltrep Pavese Pinot Nero White is a fantastic alternative to your typical fresh and dry white. Highly aromatic and vibrant on the nose and crisp and refreshing on the palate. Enjoy this wine with fresh grilled seafood, ripe cheese or your appetizer and no need to cellar this wine as its drinking lovely right now.
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The approximate location of the Frecciarossa can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Frecciarossa
About This Wine:
This white wine is straw yellow with hints of green. The bouquet is fruity, richly intense, long lasting with hints of white flowers, citrusy and balsamic notes. The taste is well balanced with an elegant finish.
About The Winery:
The Frecciarossa estate sits above the small town of Casteggio, in the hills of Oltrepo Pavese, at the same latitude as Piemonte, Burgundy and Bordeaux.
Like these other famous regions, Oltrepo Pavese has been a wine growing area since the days of Ancient Rome.
Its particular combination of soil (clay and lime), wine-making tradition and local climate account for Frecciarossa’s unique terroir.
The name “Frecciarossa” first appeared on maps in the early nineteenth century and derives from the word “fraccia”, which means “scree” in the local dialect. It then evolved into “freccia”, while “rossa” (red) comes from the color of the soil and its clayey content.
Our story begins at the turn of the Xxth century, when Mario Odero, a native of Genova, decided to go back to Italy, after working in England for several years in the coal trade. However, for all his homesickness, Odero had no desire to live in his native city or any other city,for that matter. He therefore began looking for a home in the country and fell in love with the area surrounding the small town of Casteggio.
At the end of the first world war, he bought the Frecciarossa estate and moved in with his family.
Relying on his business experience abroad, Mario Odero decided to launch his wine on the international market.
His first stroke of genius was to sell wine in bottles, as opposed to the local custom, which dealt only in barrels and demi-johns.
However, for all of Mario’s pioneering in the Oltrepo Pavese wine trade, it was his son, Giorgio (1901-1983), who became its prime mover. At the end of his studies at the university of Milan, where he majored in agronomy, specializing in wine-making, Giorgio Odero invested his passion and energy in making Frecciarossa one of the most important wine producers of post-war Italy. Shortly after graduating, the young man got involved with producing and selling the estate’s wine as well as dealing with foreign trade. Mario Odero was sufficiently impressed with his son’s performance to leave him in control.
Between 1920 and 1930, Giorgio Odero built larger cellars around the original structure, which dated back to the eighteenth century.
Thanks to Mario and Giorgio Odero’s commercial policy, Frecciarossa became the official supplier of the viceroys of India and the Italian royal family.
The business’ reputation was further enhanced after taking part in London and New York’s inernational fairs.
Mario Odero’s English connections enabled Frecciarossa wines to become a staple on the ocean liners traveling between Italy, England and the United States. As a matter of fact, when prohibition ended in the USA, Frecciarossa was granted export permit # 19, one of the first such permits delivered by the Italian government. Number 19 means it was the nineteenth product to enter the American market.
In the 1980s, Giorgio Odero’s daughter, Margherita and her husband, Carillo Radici started managing Frecciarossa and relaunching the brand name.
In the 90s, the business went through a major over-haul : new vines were planted and the wine-making process was modernized.
When Pietro Calvi di Bergolo joined the ranks of Frecciarossa, he brought a more creative approach to the business, leaving a greater opening to foreign markets.
It is the awareness of this heritage that motivates the Frecciarossa team today.
Technical Analysis:
Appelation: Otrepo’ Pavese Pinot Nero Vinified as white
Varietals: 100% Pinot Nero
Vinification: Soft pressing to avoid color extraction, settling the must to seperate the heaviest parts, controlled temperture before release of green tones.
Vineyard: Facing N to NW the vineyards are located at 450-650 ft above sea level in the municipality of Casteggio. The vines are trained in the Guyot method and the soil is Clayey-calcareous.
Aging: Bottled aged at least 3 months before release and put on the market 6 months after the harvest.
Harvest: By hand in small crates. Grape selection by vine and by vineyard according to the ripening.
