PRODUCT OVERVIEW:
While there are hundreds of terrific white wines in Italy, those crafted from the fiano grape are among the very finest and most sought-after among Italian wine enthusiasts. The varietal is most widely planted in southern Italy's Campania region, but veer a bit off the beaten path and you will find fiano-based wines that are just as compelling, as is the case with today's offer.

The cuvées at the Vespa Winery and Estate in western Puglia are made by Riccardo Cotarella, one of Italy’s most celebrated winemakers. Cotarella became one of the most influential Italian craftsmen during the mid-1990s when he had a hand in creating some of the country’s most highly rated and collectible wines in Tuscany and Umbria. Known as the “Magi” or “Wizard,” he was also one of the architects of the Italian wine renaissance that took shape in the early 2000s and continues to this day.*

Vespa is a small “boutique” winery with just 25 hectares of organic vineyards planted in the iron-rich red soils of Madurai. Thanks to these unique soils and the maritime influence of the nearby Ionian Sea (a stone’s throw from the estate), Cotarella has been able to craft deeply-flavored expressions of the varietals that are planted here.* His fiano is pure magic!

The 2021 Vespa Il Bianco dei Vespa Fiano was sourced from estate vineyards in the Salento zone of Puglia. Upon harvest, the grapes were gently pressed and the must was fermented and aged for 4 months in stainless steel tanks prior to bottling. This wine did not spend any time in oak in order to preserve the freshness and fruit-driven character of the fiano varietal.

Fully realizing fiano's vast potential, it offers fresh aromas of tangerine, fig, and wet stone. The palate is bright and zesty yet weighty and mouth-filling, with flavors of lime zest, peaches, apricots, and a kiss of almond, with a long finish buoyed by bright acidity. This wine is immensely enjoyable on its own or paired with cheese and charcuterie platters, light pasta dishes, grilled fish, shellfish, roast chicken, or nothing at all.

PRODUCT DETAILS:
Producer Name: Vespa
Old/New World: Old World
Country of Origin: Italy
Region: Puglia
Appellation: Salento
Grape Varietals: Fiano
Vintage: 2021
Product Type: Wine
Wine Style: Medium Body White
Viticultural Features: their organic grapes are bathed and pampered by the air of the Mediterranean Sea.
ABV: 12.5%
Pack/Size: 12/750
Container Type: clear glass bottle
Closure Style: Cork