Sensory profile A lively, luminous straw-yellow greets the eye, shot through with rays of gold, with its appearance in the glass faithfully presaging the richness it contains. The nose opens crisp and vibrant, faithfully expressing smooth citrus, then immediately opens wide to impressions of ripe and candied fruit, and to a majestic contribution of spices, which seems to continue without end. A more detailed description would summon up ripe pear, apple, and yellow peach, accompanied by elegant impressions of vanilla, nutmeg, and toasted almonds. This intense, near-endless bouquet introduces a pulp-rich, heady entrance that signals a full-bodied wine enriched by an intense minerality and a generous level of alcohol. But the alcoholic warmth is superbly balanced by a notable fruit component whose aromatics accompany the progression right through to a near-endless finish. That cornucopia of ripe fruit, faithfully mirroring that encountered on the nose, predominates over smooth spice, which finally triumphs on the finish. The overall character of this wine eloquently reflects an excellent growing year for the Malvasia grape.

Pairings The wine’s richness makes it a fine partner to very rich, intense dishes, in particular even baked and grilled fish, as well as with first courses of succulent shellfish.