Ciao Tutti!
This weekend at Piazza Italian Market we will taste a new white wine, the Latour a Civitella IGT 2020 ($29.95) from the Sergio Mottura Cantina in Civitella d’Agliano, Lazio. The estate was purchased in 1933 by a relative of Mottura’s and thirty years later twenty-one year old Sergio took over management of the estate. The design of a porcupine in various poses was chosen for Mottura’s label because it “symbolizes the family’s commitment to quality with respect and care for the environment”. When the estate ceased spraying pesticides and herbicides, the porcupine reappeared in the vineyards.
Noted wine authority and writer Joseph Bastianich (son of Lidia) gave the highest compliment to Mottura by declaring “There is a white heart in the center of Italy: Sergio Mottura, undisputed Master of Grechetto”. The estate has 120 hectares of vineyards of centuries old vines and a heritage of biodiversity.
The birth of Mottura’s Grechetto began in 1993 when Mottura joined a group in Germany of thirty producers from countries all over the world who were represented by the same German importer. The importer hosted an event on a restaurant boat floating along the Berlin canal to celebrate Robert Mondavi’s 80th birthday. The group decided to use the opened bottles from the afternoon tasting for the dinner. Mottura’s Grechetto “Poggio della Costa” 1992 was placed at Louis Fabrice Latour’s table. Latour later sought out Mottura to express his admiration of the wine and offered some of his wood barriques to the young Mottura.
Fast forward to 2020 when another company, one of the five Grand Crus of Bordeaux, Chateau Latour, contacted Mottura to request that the “Latour” name be removed from Mottura’s labels. He complied and beginning with the 2020 harvest the wine was renamed “La Torre a Civitella”. In 1993, this wine was the first white wine from Lazio to be awarded Tre Bicchieri from Gambero Rosso. In 2012, Sergio Mottura was named “Winemaker of the Year” by Gambero Rosso.
After learning about those accolades, I am very eager to try this wine as the Grechetto grape is one of my favorites- I love its elegant, intense aroma with notes of white fruit and hazelnut, velvety palate, with a persistent and slightly tannic finish. Come join me Friday from noon to 5:45 or Saturday from noon to 4:45 to taste this wine from the “Master of Grechetto” and see if you agree-
Cin Cin!
Jenn
Piazza Italian Market is located at 218 N. Washington St., suite 23, in Easton, MD
Contributor Jennifer Martella has pursued dual architecture and real estate careers since moving to the Eastern Shore in 2004. She has re-established her architectural practice for residential and commercial projects and is a real estate agent for Meredith Fine Properties. She especially enjoys using her architectural expertise to help buyers envision how they could modify a potential property. Her Italian heritage led her to Piazza Italian Market, where she hosts wine tastings every Friday and Saturday afternoon.
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