Giulia wine, an IGT Chardonnay clothed in art

Enrico Di Giulio, oenologist and  Pasquale Di Giulio founders of Tenute (Estate) Di Giulio and Borgo di Colloredo, tells us how ‘Giulia’ Chardonnay IGT came about.

An estate with a long tradition, founded in 1960 thanks to the foresight of the father, Silvio, who understood the great value of the land in Molise and decided to start cultivating vineyards typical for this region.

Immersed in the green of Borgo di Colloredo (Campomarino, Molise), you breathe in the history of the local vineyards along with their identity. But before we fully enter the estate, we should understand the viticulture of the region’s vineyards.

Molise and its vineyards

A small region, but Molise has a strong vocation for wine.

Among all the outstanding varieties is ‘Tintilia’, an ancient native black grape variety that risked disappearing and was brought back to ‘light’ only thanks to the wisdom of some enlightened winegrowers.

Beside Tintilia, we find the black grapes of Aglianico, Montepulciano, Sangiovese, and Ciliegiolo to which are added the international Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.

There are ten primary white grape varieties in Molise. Five international, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Riesling and five local, Falanghina, Greco, Malvasia Bianca Lunga, Bombino bianco and Trebbiano Toscano.

In the past, the most widely used cultivation system was the tendone, but today modern systems such as guyot, cordons and counter-espalier prevail.

The two IGTs, Osco and La Rotae and the four DOCs of Molise

The IGT Osco or Terra degli Osci includes the province of Campobasso while Rotae is part of the province of Isernia, where we also find the only denomination from Alto Molise, DOC Pentro or Pentro of Isernia.

And in the province of Campobasso is the highest concentration of original denominations with Biferno DOC, Tintilia DOC and Molise DOC.

With this viticultural panorama, Enrico Di Giulio and Mario Ercolino make their own symphony of wines, leaving them to express the sensory notes of the vines.

“wine must express itself through its regionial identity and the winemaker must be a discrete director of the authentic sensory expression of the vineyards.
Nothing is easier, nothing more difficult.” (Enrico Di Giulio)

 

Giulia

A philosophy that shows itself in Chardonnay ‘Giulia’ (IGT Terra degli Osci). Refined in wood for 6 months, ‘Giulia’ is a Chardonnay of full and intense purity with great balance, softness and harmony and great persistence.

Its complex bouquet with aromas of ripe fruit and its sweet notes of vanilla and young leather immerse us in the temperate climates typical of these vines. A Chardonnay that expresses itself alone, without superstructures, and in combination with risottos, white meats or lightweight desserts, gives us all its elegance.

A Chardonnay ‘dressed in art’ and that marries the original idea of ​​its creator:

“We wanted to achieve a pure Chardonnay that respected its origins but at the same time modern and contemporary, clothing the bottle with a label, where modern design accompanied retro symbols typical of the 1960s. And when I saw my daughter Giulia’s design, my design consultant and I had no doubt about choosing it to dress the Chardonnay bottle, even before the design was awarded first prize at a scholastic competition.”

Always with white grapes, in Tenute di Giulio, we taste two other IGTs: ‘Osco’ and ‘Traminer’. The first, a 85% Pinot grigio, is soft with hints of yellow fruits such as peach and melon. The second, a pure Traminer that competes with Trentine Doc, is a surprise for the palate with its harmonious, velvety, aromatic and deliciously spicy taste. A Traminer embracing all the sensory notes typical of the vine.