With this aromatic variety, he has added a white to his existing cast of Italian Collection reds: Morgenster Nabucco (Nebbiolo), Tosca (Sangiovese and Bordeaux blends) and Caruso (Sangiovese rosé).
Vespri is named for Verdi’s opera I Vespri Siciliani which has a historical theme reflecting powerful tensions of national and personal loyalties. The wine echoes its namesake’s complexity in its light-bodied but creamy textured palate of perfume, spice and fruit sweetness.
As Morgenster’s Vermentino vineyards are in their infancy, winemaker Henry Kotzé bought in grapes from a clone originating from the Italian island of Sardinia. These were whole bunch pressed to lessen extraction of colour and tannins and ensure a cleaner fruit expression. Fermentation was in stainless steel tanks and the wine was kept on its primary fine lees till preparations were made to bottle on 27 April 2017.
The result is a bright yellow wine with a green hue. Initially the nose presents a flinty minerality, followed by a sweet muscat perfume, yellow fruit and ripe peaches. The full, flavoursome palate is crisp and dry overlaid with sweet muscat fruit notes.
As with all Morgenster Italian Collection wines, Vespri offers a thought provoking experience savoured on its own, and is versatile when served with food. It pairs particularly well with anything from the ocean, having originated on an island rich in its variety and abundance of seafood.
Available from the Estate or Morgenster’s online shop http://shop.morgenster.co.za/ at R120 or from selected retail outlets. www.morgenster.co.za
About Morgenster’s Italian Collection:
While Bordeaux styled wines are the Estate’s primary focus, owner Giulio Bertrand had always dreamed of making wines from the Italian varieties that are close to his heart and Italian heritage, and believed that he could produce great wines from superior Italian cultivars in South Africa.
In October 2008 Bertrand released his maiden vintage of Tosca (Sangiovese and Bordeaux blends) and Nabucco 2006 (Nebbiolo), and a year later, his maiden vintage of Caruso 2009 (Sangiovese rosé). Several vintages later it has been exciting to see how well these Italian clones are suited to the Morgenster terroir and are collecting significant accolades worldwide. Bertrand invests heavily in the quality of his Italian styled wines by importing the latest technology and expertise and sending his wine making team to learn how winemakers in Tuscany and Piedmont work with the grapes. In 2017 he added a further 2 hectares of Sangiovese to his original 1.8 hectares, and another hectare of Nebbiolo to his established 1.6 hectares.
The 2017 establishment of one hectare of Vermentino grapes widens the Italian Collection to include a white wine. To celebrate this event, the maiden vintage of Vespri 2017 was produced from clones originating from the Italian island of Sardinia, identical to those planted at Morgenster.