Greco 'Ermes' Antico Castello 2022

The Greco 'Ermes' from the Antico Castello estate is a white wine with an energetic mineral timbre, a distinctive trait of the vine and the Irpinian terroir. As its name suggests, Greco is a white grape variety of Hellenic origin cultivated since ancient times in Campania, particularly in Irpinia, where it reaches its highest qualitative expression. Its appearance in Southern Italy dates back to the 7th century B.C., following the Greek colonisation that gave rise to Magna Graecia. It is a variety of the highest quality, particularly appreciated even in antiquity, as witnessed by Pliny the Elder, who reported that Greco was poured only once during banquets because of its value.

'Ermes' Greco Antico Castello derives from only Greco grapes grown on the clay soil at Masseria del Prizio. The vines are located 400 metres above sea level and benefit from western and eastern exposure. Harvesting is generally carried out by hand in the first ten days of October, and the grapes are then softly crushed and subjected to a few hours of pre-fermentation skin maceration. The must obtained from the subsequent gentle pressing is conveyed into stainless steel tanks for temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation. The subsequent elevation phase also takes place in stainless steel and continues for 6 months on the fine lees before bottling and further brief resting in glass.

Straw yellow with golden hues is the colour of Antico Castello's Greco 'Ermes', which on the nose is rich and intense in its predominant aromas of sage and aromatic herbs that blend with perceptions of white flowers and yellow apple, as well as pleasant mineral nuances. In the mouth it is structured and enveloping, very refreshing, sustained by a vibrant savoury-mineral timbre and light almond hints.