'Balù' Matteo Rigoni 2021

The 'Balù' by artisanal producer Matteo Rigoni is a white wine with a macerated profile, exhibiting exotic and mineral aromas. It is crafted in Veneto from a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Manzoni Bianco grapes processed in clay amphorae. We find ourselves in Grancona, in the territory of the Colli Berici, an area where Matteo Rigoni, a descendant of a family of farmers and breeders who marginally dealt with viticulture, began to dedicate himself entirely to wine production in 2004. He planted his first new vineyards and founded the winery bearing his name, with the first bottles labeled in 2012.

Matteo Rigoni's 'Balù' is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc (90%) and Manzoni Bianco (10%) grapes, cultivated under certified organic conditions within the municipality of Val Liona, precisely in the Giacomelli locality. Here, the plants benefit from the high iron content of the soils, an altitude of 180-200 meters above sea level, and excellent southwest exposure. After manual harvesting, the grapes are destemmed, followed by spontaneous alcoholic fermentation in 750-liter clay amphorae, in contact with the skins for 5 days. After racking, the fermentation process continues in both amphorae and stainless steel tanks, the same wine containers where the mass matures for several months until the final bottling, which is done without clarification or filtration.

Matteo Rigoni's white wine 'Balù' has a straw-yellow hue with amber reflections. On the nose, fruity and floral hints of pineapple, apricot, papaya, citrus zest, and wisteria are accompanied by mineral perceptions of salt. On the palate, the enveloping body is well balanced by lively freshness and delicate tannins, with savory-mineral sensations accompanying the pleasant final persistence.