Fattoria AL FIORE / Oro reserva 2021 (white) 750ml

This Chardonnay tree, now in its 10th year, has been nurtured with love by the wonderful producer Masatoshi Ohno, and has grown into a golden wine that lives up to its name. Although it was a year with little influence from the autumn rains, I remember being deeply moved by Mr. Ohno's kind advice, "Why not extend the harvest period a bit more?" knowing the risks involved. Thanks to that, the moment I entered the vineyard on the day of harvest, the quality of this wine was already determined. Rich fruitiness, gentle and pleasant acidity, sufficient structure, and a lingering finish. It is a perfect finish in every aspect. Grapes and wine can only reflect nature itself. It is not always like this every year. Among this flagship series with washi labels, we decided to add the Reserva designation for this Chardonnay, particularly for the exceptional cuvée.

The Chardonnay harvested in October was gently pressed after 4 days of skin contact. The yeast from this vineyard, as is the case every year, ferments very slowly, and remarkably, the 2021 vintage took 7 months to ferment in barrels without stacking. After that, it was bottled when the lees had settled. It was released after an additional 15 months of bottle aging.