Avignonesi Il Marzocco Chardonnay Toscana 2024

Avignonesi farms this Chardonnay at its estate in Montepulciano, in southern Tuscany. The vineyards sit on the clay and sandy soils of the Valdichiana, where warm days and cooler nights give ripe fruit while holding on to acidity. The estate is farmed organically, and the wine carries a vegan certification. Fruit is pressed and fermented before a short passage of three months in oak barrels, a light touch that adds texture and a faint toasty edge without covering the grape. The result is a pale gold white with a nose of dried orange peel, ripe pear and white flowers over a soft note of vanilla from the wood. The palate is round and gently textured, with stone fruit and citrus carried by a fresh line of acidity that keeps the finish clean. This is a versatile Tuscan white built for the table rather than the cellar. Serve it at 10 to 12 degrees in a standard white wine glass.