Casale del Giglio Satrico 2020 (Lazio) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely, eclectic white wine blend of three varietals that arrived at the LCBO today as a Smart Buy in the January 7 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

It is produced by Casale del Giglio, whose story begins in 1914 when three brothers - Emidio, Isidoro and Antonio Santarelli - established "Berardino Santarelli & Figli", a company named after the founding father, Berardino, Wine Merchant. The company moved to Rome and grew over the years, selling wines, liquors, and olive oils, and had several outlets across the city. In 1955, Emidio's son, Dino, founded the company "Santarelli S.p.A." to bottle Lazio's classic wines. These wines were sold primarily in Rome, but were also quite popular in Canada.

Casale del Giglio was established in 1967 by Dino Santarelli. He was fascinated by the Agro Pontino valley and founded Casale del Giglio at Le Ferriere, a hamlet close to the ancient city of Satricum in the province of Latina, some 50 kilometres south of Rome. A virgin territory, quite unlike other parts of Lazio or any other Italian region, the area was ripe for viticultural exploration.

In the early 1990s, Antonio Santarelli joined his father, Dino, and in partnership with the young enologist Paolo Tiefenthaler from the northern Italian Trentino region, they achieved remarkable results stemming from an intense programme of research and experimentation. They were joined by famous ampelographers and university researchers and planted close to 60 different experimental vines in Casale del Giglio's soil. With a scheme that was bold and daring in a very scientific way, they were rewarded and achieved their first significant results from the red grape varieties Syrah and Petit Verdot and from whites such as Sauvignon, Viognier, and Petit Manseng.

Today, Casale del Giglio continues to subscribe to the philosophy that "the future of Italian viticulture relies not only on consolidating the image of its traditional wine producing zones, but on its ability to produce top quality wines at favourable prices in areas whose potential is still relatively unexplored." As a result of Casale del Giglio's research, the the European Community authorized the cultivation of "new recommended varieties" such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon in the province of Latina (from 1990), while other varieties were authorized later. Casale del Giglio has since elected to plant those grape varieties which adapt well to the territory and produce quality wines.

The Satrico is a white wine blend consisting of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, and 20% Trebbiano Giallo. Satrico gets its name from the ancient pre-Roman city of Satricum. Traces of the earliest huts, which formed a village around a central place of worship on high ground near the river Astura, date from the 9th century B.C. This hillside settlement, later to become the acropolis of the city, was the site of a temple dedicated to the goddess Mater Matuta. Remains of her temple can still be seen today, close to Casale del Giglio’s vineyards in the hamlet of Le Ferriere, near the town of Latina.

The grapes for this white wine were harvested just as they begin to ripen and vinified separately to ensure that the fresh, distinctive aromas and flavours of each variety come through in the final blend. The bunches were carefully selected, with only the very best bunches included in this wine, and after careful soft-pressing, the free-run juice was separated from the skins. It underwent a temperature-controlled, slow fermentation over 7-8 days, matured in stainless steel tanks, and bottled at the beginning of the following year. Let's see how this white wine blend from Lazio is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CASALE DEL GIGLIO SATRICO 2020 - IGT Lazio Bianco, Italy (#569806) (D) - $18.95
This eclectic blend of 40% Chardonnay, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, and 20% Trebbiano Giallo has a soft, medium+ intensity nose that is dusty and earthy with floral, lemon citrus, melon, and ripe apple aromas with a whiff of mango adding interest. It's impressively concentrated on the medium+ bodied palate with slightly spicy flavours of ripe melon, mango, lemon citrus, floral flavours in a dry flavour profile. Slightly viscous mouthfeel, along with juicy, well-balanced acidity, while savoury, leesy, and mineral notes linger on the long finish. Chill well and enjoy this recommended buy now! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines by Casale del Giglio can be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.