Vino Santo, 1999

Tasting Note:

Superlative Vin Santo. The Sderci family pick the grapes (predominantly Malvasia with some trebbiano) whilst they are still healthy and fresh to ensure the resultant wine has plenty of acidity. They are then hung on hooks berry by berry, naturally dried by air. Once they have reached 32 potential alcohol degrees, they then undergo a series of natural stop/start fermentations in used wood barriques over a number of years. This was bottled containing 100g/l of residual sugar and 15% alcohol. The key here is the fruit is clean, clear, ripe and there is lots of, none of the heavy cloying or overly oxidative notes the lesser examples betray. A nose of wild honey and brown sugar precede lifting, sumptuous flavours of peach nectar, fruit blossom, citrus and wild honey with a complex 'oloroso' nutty richness, complex, beautifully poised and stunningly elegant.