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Frascati, Principe Pallavicini 2020

4.000000000 star rating 5 Reviews
A great introduction to the Italian white wine of Frascati, elegant, lemon and pineapple-scented, dry and crisp. This is a typical bled of around 70% malvasia puntinata, 15% trebbiano, and 15% greco from Lazio.
is no longer available
Code: IT32751

Wine characteristics

  • White Wine
  • 2 - Dry
  • Malvasia
  • 13.5% Alcohol
  • no oak influence
  • Cork, diam

Central Italy

The large Central Italy region embraces Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo and Molise and Lazio. Geographically Central Italy is split by the imposing Apennine mountain range that runs the length of the centre of Italy like a slightly curved spine dividing, for example, Tuscany and Umbria from Emilia-Romagna and Le Marche. While there is the usual diversity of grape varieties when you drill down in to the vineyards of these regions, one grape variety dominates – sangiovese, whether it stands alone or is blended.

At the heart of Tuscany is Chianti, spreading from north of Florence to south of Siena. Rolling green forested hills of captivating beauty characterise much of the Chianti area with vineyards sometimes planted at over 500 metres. The wines are dominated by the sangiovese grape supported by canaiolo, colorino, mammolo and ciliegiolo of the traditional varieties of the region but with the additional weight and structure of cabernet sauvignon, syrah and merlot...
The large Central Italy region embraces Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo and Molise and Lazio. Geographically Central Italy is split by the imposing Apennine mountain range that runs the length of the centre of Italy like a slightly curved spine dividing, for example, Tuscany and Umbria from Emilia-Romagna and Le Marche. While there is the usual diversity of grape varieties when you drill down in to the vineyards of these regions, one grape variety dominates – sangiovese, whether it stands alone or is blended.

At the heart of Tuscany is Chianti, spreading from north of Florence to south of Siena. Rolling green forested hills of captivating beauty characterise much of the Chianti area with vineyards sometimes planted at over 500 metres. The wines are dominated by the sangiovese grape supported by canaiolo, colorino, mammolo and ciliegiolo of the traditional varieties of the region but with the additional weight and structure of cabernet sauvignon, syrah and merlot which are now permitted.

Other great wines from Tuscany are Brunello di Montalcino (‘brunello’ being a very localised clone of sangiovese, and the only permitted grape), Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (from the town of Montepulciano and nothing to do with the montepulciano grape; Vino Nobile is again made from sangiovese) and the so-called Supertuscan blends of several grape varieties, some of which are not permitted under DOC rules in areas such as Brunello. The most famous of these Supertuscans are Sassicaia and Ornellaia, both of which are essentially Bordeaux -style blends from Bolgheri close to the Tuscan coast in the west. The region, partly with the impetus of these regulation bucking blends, has been a driving force in improving quality in the region and consequently across Italy.

Umbria to the south of Tuscany has developed an impressive reputation for its wines, such as the aromatic, tannic but delicious sagrantino from vineyards around Montefalco. Here too sangiovese is widely grown, making impressive Torgiano and blends together with varieties like merlot and cabernet. Higher ground in the north is cooler than the southern zone. Orvieto lies almost between the two in the west of Umbria. The wines of Orvieto are beginning to find their feet once more after decades of underperformance now that many growers are focussing on the grechetto grape that had once been ubiquitous but which had been pushed aside by the higher cropping but far less interesting procanico (aka trebbiano Toscano).

Lazio is the region around Rome which is struggling to creep out from the shadow of the dull wines that historically fed the thirst of a ready market in the Eternal City. Basically, there was too little incentive to change. Now there are a number of producers working hard to make Frascati of real character by improving their clones and their methods and by lowering yields.

Across the Apennines from Umbria is Le Marche with its mountainous national parks and sunny Adriatic coast. The best white wines are the two verdicchios, dei Castelli di Jesi and di Matelica, with the latter making the more characterful examples from its higher altitudes. Pecorino grapes from zones to the south produce fruity, interesting white wines with real potential to rival the best verdicchio. Reds are improving all the time, including Rosso Piceno (sangiovese with montepulciano) and Rosso Conero (montepulciano).

North of Le Marche is the region around foodie Bologna, Emilia-Romagna. Home to Parmesan cheese, Parma ham and balsamic vinegar, the region has not developed a similarly impressive canon of wines to rival its reputation for fine foods. Much is unimpressive but the best sangiovese di Romagna from south-east of Bologna can be excellent, and as with elsewhere in Italy there are a growing number of growers and winemakers intent on improvement. The wine best known to British consumers is Lambrusco. Sadly the association many will have is with sweetened characterless froth from the 1970s and 1980s but the Lambrusco drunk by the Bolognese is very different and we are starting to see its appetising acidity and bracing bite, designed to accompany the salty hams, tangy cheeses and rich meat sauces of its home region, reach the UK.

As with Le Marche the vineyards of Abruzzo are squeezed between the great mass of the Apennines and the Adriatic, and the mountains have influenced the character of the Abruzzese and their food. To match their hearty dishes they drink montepulciano d’Abruzzo, invariably gutsy and full of lively red fruits and a Society wine of many years standing. Rosés such as Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo are also becoming increasingly well known for their value and constantly improving quality when growers lower yields and winemakers take them seriously. Further south is the little known Molise region where montepulciano, aglianico and trebbiano grapes make characterful, rustic reds and whites. The Biferno DOC was created in the 1980s and there are producers here who are making some very promising examples.
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Principe Pallavicini

The Pallavicinis are one of Italy’s oldest noble families, with historical links to Popes and diplomats, and their winemaking history dates all the way back to 1670. It was in this year that they bought 1,600 hectares of land just south of Rome in Italy’s central-western Lazio region. The property is now the largest private estate in Frascati.

Until recent years, Frascati hasn’t had the highest reputation for wine. Its situation south of Rome made it the perfect place to produce large quantities of bland white wines for the multitudes of tourists to sip outside in the evenings, but in the latter half of the 20th century producers made great efforts to better its reputation. The region’s nutrient-rich volcanic soils and mild, sunny climate encourage high yields, but producers like the Pallavicinis have invested in extensive replanting and yield restriction to improve the quality and concentration of the grapes.

White varieties in particular thrive in the volcanic soils as they impart high acidity, and the family now has 133 acres dedicated to white grapes, all expertly managed by agronomist Mauro de Angelis. After years of experimentation with the various types of terroir, the different varieties are each planted in specific parcels of land. The vines range in age from around 10 to 20 years old, and the white grapes planted include malvasia di candia, greco, trebbiano, and the native malvasia del Lazio, a variety that, after many years of adapting to the soils, imparts...
The Pallavicinis are one of Italy’s oldest noble families, with historical links to Popes and diplomats, and their winemaking history dates all the way back to 1670. It was in this year that they bought 1,600 hectares of land just south of Rome in Italy’s central-western Lazio region. The property is now the largest private estate in Frascati.

Until recent years, Frascati hasn’t had the highest reputation for wine. Its situation south of Rome made it the perfect place to produce large quantities of bland white wines for the multitudes of tourists to sip outside in the evenings, but in the latter half of the 20th century producers made great efforts to better its reputation. The region’s nutrient-rich volcanic soils and mild, sunny climate encourage high yields, but producers like the Pallavicinis have invested in extensive replanting and yield restriction to improve the quality and concentration of the grapes.

White varieties in particular thrive in the volcanic soils as they impart high acidity, and the family now has 133 acres dedicated to white grapes, all expertly managed by agronomist Mauro de Angelis. After years of experimentation with the various types of terroir, the different varieties are each planted in specific parcels of land. The vines range in age from around 10 to 20 years old, and the white grapes planted include malvasia di candia, greco, trebbiano, and the native malvasia del Lazio, a variety that, after many years of adapting to the soils, imparts particularly good minerality.

Carlo Ferrini and Carlo Roveda run the cellar, and their aim is to create wines that reflect the true character of its component grapes. As such, only the best grapes are selected after harvest, and they are kept cool and fermented at low temperatures to retain their natural aromas. Pallavicini make different cuvées of Frascati, but we like the single-vineyard Poggio Verde Frascati Superiore best. It spends four to five months on its lees for added texture and complexity.

Frascati Superiore earned DOCG status in 2011, making it one of the only appellations with DOCG status in the Lazio region, and proving that the hard work of the Frascati producers had paid off.
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Italy Vintage 2020

2020 will always be the year that winemakers, and owners spent the year in the vineyards. As lockdowns around the world prevented travel many of our Italian suppliers talked of the silver lining of suddenly being able to get fully hands on again focusing time in their vineyards, tending to vines and reflecting on the year. The vintage will be special for this, with a level of scrutiny that can’t often be afforded to each vine, and an ability to manage vineyard processes with micro precision. The generally warm, dry season has led to good levels of concentration, albeit on slightly lower than average yields, promising good reds and securing Italy as a good choice for members looking for character and interest delivered at all price points.

Looking at Tuscany in a little more detail, winemakers have spoken very positively about the 2020 sangiovese harvest which showed wonderfully intense aromatics from early on.

In Piedmont, winemakers were very positive about how 2020 played out with ...
2020 will always be the year that winemakers, and owners spent the year in the vineyards. As lockdowns around the world prevented travel many of our Italian suppliers talked of the silver lining of suddenly being able to get fully hands on again focusing time in their vineyards, tending to vines and reflecting on the year. The vintage will be special for this, with a level of scrutiny that can’t often be afforded to each vine, and an ability to manage vineyard processes with micro precision. The generally warm, dry season has led to good levels of concentration, albeit on slightly lower than average yields, promising good reds and securing Italy as a good choice for members looking for character and interest delivered at all price points.

Looking at Tuscany in a little more detail, winemakers have spoken very positively about the 2020 sangiovese harvest which showed wonderfully intense aromatics from early on.

In Piedmont, winemakers were very positive about how 2020 played out with warm but not too hot weather through August and September, allowing for a low pressure October harvest. The diurnal temperature fluctuations on the warmer days is also being credited for the highly aromatic nature of wines that will need time to develop. Expectation were and remain high.
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