‘Barriccato Bianco' 2023

Viognier, Chardonnay, Tuscany, Italy 

Like the sun and all the nectar from her flowers were distilled down into golden drops of pure life-force. Founder and winemaker Piero Lo Franco valued the idea of self-sufficiency and was an organic pioneer in Tuscany. He now oversees a biodynamic & family-run farm in the Tuscan hills around Castiglion Fibocchi. The diversity is overwhelming & admirable  – 190 hectares of vineyards, 14,000 olive trees, 1,250 sheep, 800 chickens (+ eggs!!), 10 horses, a herd of sheep (whose Pecorino cheese is rubbed in the residues from the olive press), honey from 100 hives, sweet chestnut trees and PLENTY of fruits & vegetables! D.R.E.A.M. A particularly hot year, this blend of densely-ripe chard (60%) with the aromatic and acidity-balancing viognier (40%) come together as a perfect match. Apricot, hazy honeysuckle, almond cream, mandarin marmalade, pear skin pastry, trimming hedges, honey preserved pineapple & marble minerality. Drink while researching alternative energy sources, purchasing secluded land & figuring out the chicken to duck ratio you want.