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Wine Tasting Adventure

2023 Cesconi, Pinot Grigio - Liberty

£21.49 GBP
£21.49 GBP

The four Cesconi brothers have transformed their family estate, in the village of Pressano, into one of the Trentino region’s most admired wineries. The Cesconi family previously sold all their fruit to the local cooperative in nearby Lavis, yet today they make some of Northern Italy’s most exciting white wines.

Stylistically, their whites are more intense and perfumed than those from Friuli, without the weight or fat that some of the top Friuli wines have. Their reds, on the other hand, have more concentration than their Friulian counterparts.

The brothers have researched and developed better selections of Nosiola, a native Trentino grape variety, and the result is zesty and aromatic, offering an ideal summer white. The Pinot Grigio is aromatic yet intense, which only develops further complexity with bottle age. ‘Olivar’, a barrel-fermented blend of Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, is one of Trentino’s best white wines. Their reds have improved considerably in recent years, with the addition of Lagrein and Teroldego to the blend. ‘Moratèl’, a blend of Merlot, Lagrein, Cabernet Sauvignon and Teroldego, shows a ripeness and depth of flavour usually lacking from most reds of this region.

The Pinot Grigio vineyards are located on the gently-sloping hills of Pressano at approximately 400 metres above sea level and face south-west. The soils are deep and rich with a considerably high mineral content thanks to the high degree of bedrock fragmentation.This bedrock originates from marine deposits dating back 240 million years. The vines are Guyot and pergola-trained with a density of 7,000 and 3,000 - 4,000 vines per hectare respectively.

2023 was a good year for white grapes in Trentino Alto Adige with no adverse weather events. There was a good yield of high quality grapes. The harvest date was slightly later than usual on the 20th of September allowing for a more balanced and complete ripening of the grapes.

Fruit was macerated on the skins for 12 hours after picking and was then pressed. The must was divided, with 60% going into stainless-steel vats and 40% into 3000 litre old oak casks. These different batches were then fermented at temperatures between 18-20°C. The wine was subsequently aged in oak for nine months on fine lees. The use of large casks, combined with prolonged contact with the lees, added complexity to the wine while still preserving its original varietal aromatic qualities.

Deep straw yellow in colour, this wine opens with intense notes of pear, white peach and zesty citrus. The palate is round and rich, with complex layers of fruit and savoury characters that carry through onto the long, mineral finish.