Terre di Chieti “il Mostro Bianco” 2020

Terre di Chieti “il Mostro Bianco” 2020

Grapes: 80% Pecorino, 20% Chardonnay

ABV: 12.5%

Winemaker: Nicola Marchesani

Viniculture: Organic - one of the first organic vineyards in Italy, certified in 1978. Grapes are hand-harvested

Winemaking: Grapes are whole-bunch pressed, fermented in tank, and then transferred to bottle while a touch of residual sugar remains. This sugar enables the secondary fermentation to take place and carbonate the wine. The spent yeast cells gather in the bottle and can be shaken up gently before drinking in order to give a bright, cloudy appearance and rich texture.

Region: Abruzzo, Italy

“wheatgrass, quince, and jicama”

Don’t forget to shake it up! This is one of the more interesting white sparkling wines I’ve had all year. It’s brisk, bright, and has a wonderful chalky texture on the finish.

Pét-Nat, aka naturally sparkling wine, is one of my favorite categories because when you just want something refreshing to drink, it comes through in a pinch. This Mostro Bianco from Terre di Chieti is so cool. A perfect pasta wine for spring and early summer, as we start to eat more fresh garden produce, herbs and salads. 

Terre di Chieti has been around since the 1960s, run by the Marchesani family. They were early to the organic viticulture movement, in a time when yields and bulk production were valued high above quality or ecological soundness. For them to firmly place their flag in the ground on this issue was both risky and adventurous. But time and research have proved that organic vineyards almost always produce better wine, and better health outcomes for land, water, and people. 

This wine sparkles in the glass with the glint of sunshine on freshly cut hay bales. On the nose, a bouquet of fresh lemon juice, wheatgrass, new olive oil and green apple. The palate gives off notes of quince and jicama–earthy flavors that still finish fresh.