【Governo Traditional Winemaking Method】
【Vino Pellegrino】
WI268B - Governo Tuscany 2023
Single Bottle Price: $128
Special Offer: $98/bottle
Region: Italy / Tuscany / Toscana IGT
Grape Varieties: Sangiovese 70%, Merlot 20%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%
Alcohol Content: 13.5%
Tasting Notes: Upon pouring, the aroma is rich in dried fruit, primarily from dried berries. The palate is very smooth, with the rich fruitiness of Sangiovese, but the acidity is noticeably softer, thanks to the traditional Governo winemaking method. Governo is a winemaking technique that preserves a batch of harvested grapes and allows them to partially dry naturally in the sun. If fermentation in the main batch begins to slow or seems close to stalling, semi-dried grapes are added to the juice, providing the yeast cells with a new sugar source to reactivate the batch.
This Governo method aids in malolactic fermentation, thus helping to stabilize the wine. For highly acidic grapes like Sangiovese, it softens some of the harshness and volatility in the wine, resulting in a richer and more complex body. Governo Tuscany 2020 boasts fruity and sweet notes: rum, red berries, dried fruit, well-balanced with tobacco, chocolate, and more. It has a full-bodied and complete structure, offering excellent value! It pairs well with appetizers, roast beef, poultry, and turkey.
【Vino Pellegrino】
Kenny Pellegrino and his young company Vino Pellegrino—Kenny Pellegrino (born in 1977), a serious wine entrepreneur of Danish and Italian descent, loves Italian wines and maintains excellent relationships with Italian wine merchants. He sourced suitable batches of above-average wines from wineries in Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, and Apulia, perfectly aligned with current demand trends, and marketed them in an appealing manner under his own label.
【Traditional Governo Winemaking Method】
Governo is made according to a very old traditional recipe established in Tuscany in the early 14th century. Governo is a winemaking technique used to aid in the completion of fermentation and the stabilization of the wine. This technique involves preserving a batch of harvested grapes and allowing them to partially dry in the natural sun. If the fermentation of the main batch begins to slow or seems close to stalling, the semi-dried grapes are added to the grape juice, providing a new sugar source for the yeast cells to reactivate the batch. Later, as techniques for controlling the temperature in tanks and containers were developed, the traditional Governo method gradually disappeared. Until recently, some grape growers have revived this method.
The benefit of Governo is that it not only promotes fully completed primary fermentation but also helps with malolactic fermentation, thus helping to stabilize the wine. For highly acidic grapes like Sangiovese, this process softens some of the harshness and volatility in the wine. Wines made from Sangiovese grapes are particularly easier to appreciate on the palate. The Governo method removes most of the acidity from Sangiovese grapes, reducing some of the roughness and volatility in the wine. The luxurious concentrated juice from the dried grapes adds complexity and richness to the finished wine.
Tuscany's Environment and Climate
It is well known that a suitable environment is essential for growing grapes and making wine. Tuscany has a very different climate from the mountains to the Tyrrhenian Sea coast. The central region, especially the temperate coastal areas, experiences more frequent rainfall. The Apennine Mountains block cold air masses from the northeast, and the region features a variety of landforms including mountains, plains, and hills. The soil composition is complex, with the best soils containing a unique rock mixture called galestro. The unique soil and terrain, coupled with the Mediterranean breezes, provide Tuscany with the perfect natural conditions to become Italy's most important wine region.
This favorable environment allows for a great diversity of grape varieties to be cultivated. White grape varieties include Trebbiano, Malvasia, Moscadello, and Vernaccia di San Gimignano; red grape varieties include Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, Canaiolo, Colorino, Mammolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.
