BELLONE

BIANCO LAZIO IGT/IGP

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

A grape variety cited by Pliny the Elder and present in the Latium region since Roman times.

Today the grape is cultivated from the Roman to the Lepini hills and beyond to the hinterland of the coastal town of Anzio, where, in warm sandy soils tempered by a relentless sea breeze, the grape has found an ideal microclimate.

GRAPE VARIETIES AND VINIFICATION TECHNIQUE

The Bellone grape is vigorous and resistant to drought – a guarantee for wine quality and balance – while its plump, golden yellow, thickskinned grapes hang in elongated, cone-shaped bunches.
The persistent sea breeze contributes to the over-ripening of the grapes while a high concentration of both sugar and acidity lead to early maturation and the highlighting of the wine’s pronounced mineral notes.
The grapes are harvested at the end of September.
Vinification takes place in two stages: first, maceration on the skins to encourage extraction of the aromas bestowed by the territory then, after soft pressing, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts for around 10-12 days at 18-20°C.

TASTING NOTE

Deep yellow flecked with gold.
The wine evokes sunshine and ripe tropical fruit such as mango and papaya, carefully balanced by a marked acidity which makes it suitable for long bottle aging. Rich, ample and lingering on the palate with light floral and spicy notes.
Hallmarked by its pronounced acidity and zesty tang. A long finish.

SUGGESTED FOOD PAIRING

“Minestra di Sgavajone”: a typical soup from the fishermen of Anzio made with ‘sgavajone’ a local fish rarely found outside their family homes.

Ingredients for 4 people:
400 gms. Sgavajoni, 100 gms. spaghetti (roughly broken by hand) 3 litres water, 2 cloves garlic, 100 gms fresh cherry tomatoes, 2 sprigs chopped parsley, finely chopped chilli, salt and a little extra virgin olive oil.
Method: Boil the Sgavajoni for two hours. Meanwhile, in a little olive oil, sauté the garlic, salt, chilli and tomatoes until these are soft. Remove the garlic, pass the mixture through a sieve and set aside. When the fish has broken down completely pass it through the sieve taking care to crush the bones completely. Mix the fish water with the tomato mixture, add the “Sgavajoni” pieces one at a time and return the soup to the boil. Add the roughly broken spaghetti and when cooked garnish with the finely chopped parsley.