(2014) 100% Chardonnay with only 1.7g/l natural residual sugar. A small proportion was fermented in older barrels. Lovely bruised fruit hints of maturity and oxidation, and there is a nettle and herb touch to this. A lovely palate, riven by that grapefruity tang and cut of citrus, plenty of acidity here, but there is a burgeoning hint of sweetness too.
(2014) >From the 2011 vintage, this is the zero added sulphur cuvée. All Chardonnay. "The grapes have higher phenolics as tested by the university of Pisa, which helps in using no sulphur." Very fresh, a nice touch of controlled oxidation and yeasty character, but apple and lemon to the fore, a suggestion of floral background. A clean cut, abundantly fresh wine with very good acid balance and a pleasing, very natural feel. Lovely wine, and fresh as a daisy.
(2014) All Chardonnay, this top of the line wine receives a minimum of 78 months ageing - 72 on the lees and a further six post-disgorgement - and has less than 2g/l of residual sugar. A pale golden colour, the nose is delicate, with some glacé fruits, flowers and soft, yeasty notes. On the palate it is intense stuff, tight and grippy, with a little lemon rind phenolic note and plenty of acidity, real pithy grapefruit and lemon powering through. Even after 12 years this is very tightly-focused, and would be a fascinating wine to try again after considerably more cellar age.
(2014) All Chardonnay, this cuvée is sold through BBR in the UK. No dosage, so less than 1g/l sugar, bottled under lower pressure. Nice cream and vanilla touches, but also nettle and delicate flowers and herbs, with those subtle complexities showing beautifully. The palate has real intensity: given that there is no sugar, it has an intense inherent sweetness and attack: a big grapefruity thrust of acidity, the sourness biting into the finish as a lovely counterpoint and an intensely dry finish. A fascinating style, very dry and authoritative, but it shimmers with edgy freshness and acidity in the finish.
(2014) 80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir, part of the Chardonnay aged in barrel. Dosage 4g/l. Very sophisticated, tiny bubbles, quite deep and nutty with a touch of coffee and toast, and a sense of richness and ripeness. The palate is full and rich, has that nuttiness, and a squirt of fresh lemon and lime juiciness. The acidity a little less pithy and tart than the pas dosé, a refined, long finish.
(2014) 100%chardonnay, 20% of which was fermented and aged in big old barrels. Made with 7g/l of sugar and a low pressure of 4.4 bar, it spends 36 months on the lees. The nose offers gentle toast and honey with lots of creamy richness and buttered Brazil nut notes. The palate has huge natural sweetness, and that silk and butter fatness is beautifully cut through by slicing grapefruit acidity. Delicious stuff, fishing with lively citrus freshness.
(2014) Beautifully refined, very clean and racy-fresh with lovely streaming bubbles and small creamy mousse. Really racy, taut, apple and citrus freshness. A little touch of biscuit and toast comes through. Delicious.
(2014) The blend is Chardonnay 78%, Pinot Nero 18%, Pinot Bianco 4%, with a dosage of 6.8g/l. Very fresh and refreshing nose, with lovely creaminess and soft, quite biscuity autolysis. Silvano says 25% of the blend is reserve wines back to 2008, on 2010 base. Really attractive palate, so fresh and appetising, but beautifully creamy fruit of custardy apple and a lovely line and tangy citrus to the finish. Delightful.
(2014) Similar, glowing bright golden colour. Extra dimension of freshness and beautifully bright, flower-touched aromatics, with yeastiness and biscuit and a lovely fruit clarity. There's a burst of tangerine and bright, crunchy green apple acidity, giving this a thrilling vibrancy on the palate, though still with that hint of toast of the barrel and autolysis in the finish.
(2014) Only 6g/l of sugar for this 100% chardonnay cuvée that spends 36 months on the lees. Bold yellow/gold. Beautiful smoky minerality, less honey than the Satèn, and has a cool sense of precision as well as fruit intensity. The palate shows that smoky, flinty mineral style, the fruit sweetness is very pronounced: a really full and rich style but the grapefruit sharpness of the finish punches through the concentration.
