NEWS from THE EGGMAN
DRINK UP – THE EGGMAN HAS LOTS OF NEW ITALIAN WINES COMING IN 2022, ALL HAND MADE BY HIM AND PRODUCED IN ONLY SMALL QUANTITIES.
IN CHIANTI
I have recently bottled my first Gran Selezione, 2017 vintage aged in a Clayver ceramic egg for 36 months and freshened up with 5 per cent oaked wine – Mittelberger Italian oak tonneau. Only 500 bottles.
In the spring we will be bottling our 2018 vintage Chianti Classico. Stocks of 2016 are now low and I had no 2017 vintage. Most producers are now selling 2019 vintage but I believe my 2018 is an exceptional wine and we have monitored its development and improvement with age by tasting regularly throughout the pandemic – sometimes by zoom with samples delivered by courier to me in England.
The 2018 vintage Sangiovese matured in the ceramic egg made in Italy by Porcellanea is so good it is probable that I will bottle it separately as an IGT.
Also Merlot 2019 will be bottled in the first half of this year. Aged for 2 years in the original ceramic egg manufactured in Barossa Valley in Australia and at home with Setriolo in Castellina in Chianti. No oak.
IN VENETO
On 3rd March we will bottle 2020 Veneto Bianco IGT, 100 per cent Garganega. This wine will include some of the successful 2017 vintage that we kept in a Clayver egg for 3 years. It adds concentration and depth.
IN SICILY
In November of last year we bottled Etna Rosso DOC 2019, 100 per cent Nerello Mascalese, often referred to as the Pinot Noir of Sicily. It is a blend that contains some very high quality single vineyard wine. To be released for sale in May. This wine is from vineyards on the north side of Mt. Etna where the soil is full of volcanic lava!
FINALLY
So a lot to look forward to. In the April edition of Decanter magazine will be the results of their panel tasting of Gran Selezione Chianti Classico wines into which I entered my 2017 vintage. Hopefully this will score around 90 points like its older sister, Chianti Classico Riserva 2016.