$55.00
| /
Region: McLaren Vale
Grapes: Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Roussanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc
First Glance: Textural, Briny, Concentrated, Long
Acclaim: 97pts
The Wine:
Inspired by the textural white wines of the Southern Rhône, Ovitelli Blanc brings these traditional varieties together in blended harmony. Grenache Blanc and Roussanne gently fermented and aged with skin contact in large ceramic eggs.
All varieties hand-picked and sorted separately. Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris and Roussanne picked on the 26th of March and Clairette and Bourboulenc on the 18th of April. Portions of the Grenache Blanc and Roussanne destemmed and crushed to ceramic egg and macerated on skins for an extended period, averaging 7 months. The remaining batches were whole bunch basket pressed, and only the very lightest pressings are kept separate to be considered for the final blend. These are un-fined, unsettled and fermented exclusively in ceramic. No sulphur is added until the completion of fermentation or the extended skin contact portions are removed from skins. Matured in ceramic after blending for a further 4 months. 47% of the final blend was skin contacted. Bottled March 2024. Certified Organic/Biodynamic.
The Review:
Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion - 97pts
"55/17/17/7/4% grenache blanc/grenache gris/roussanne/clairette/bourboulenc. Some grenache blanc and roussanne was fermented on skins for around seven months (47% of the finished blend). The remaining fruit was basket pressed. Texture. For me, it’s the defining point of this wine. Oh, I love the hard-to-pin-down flavours that drift through orchard fruits and citrus, suggest a piney and briny herbal note – like a sea breeze gliding through a cypress tree – and are further complexed with a hint of cracked fennel seed and white pepper. But it’s the texture that really elevates this, the frisson of pumiceous (it’s a word …) grip and succulent fruit, the sapid, mineral/tonic quality, the elegant tensioning, fine-tuned to perfection. What a delight."
