Calalta Davvero 2023

Calalta is the project of Nicola Brunetti, who took over the family estate in the Veneto in northern Italy in 2017 and turned it from a cooperative supplier into an artisan winery bottling under its own labels. The grape here is Riesling, unusual in the Veneto, made naturally as an orange wine. The fruit sees eight months of skin contact and ageing in old stone lagares, the traditional shallow troughs used for fermentation. Extended skin contact draws tannin, pigment and phenolics from the grape skins, giving the amber colour, firm grip and savoury depth, while the slow fermentation and gentle oxygen exposure in the old lagares add complexity and texture without oak. The local soils and cool continental climate keep the acidity bright beneath the structure. The wine is amber in the glass. The nose shows ripe apricot, orange peel, thyme and rosemary over honey and beeswax. The palate is dry and textured, the stone fruit framed by firm tannin, a herbal lift and a long, savoury finish. It is a natural wine. Serve at 12 to 14 degrees.