Medium gold color; green and Golden Delicious apple, pear, peach, citrus, lemon-lime, white flowers, some pleasant oak and butter on the nose and palate.
Dry; fresh, wonderfully soft, extremely smooth, slightly viscous texture. Medium body. No tannins. Crisp acidity, but no sharpness. Engaging pinch of citrus bitterness on the finish. Primarily chardonnay and pinot bianco, with a smattering of unnamed complimentary varieties. Grapes harvested and processed to allow minimum amount of oxygen; gentle pressing. Fermented in stainless steel, followed by fermentation and aging in both French oak barriques and stainless steel. Aging in bottle followed. 12.5% ABV
Grapes come from cool, high-altitude vineyards surrounded by woodlands in the Pomino subzone, which engenders freshness and acidity in this effort. Good balance with appropriate richness and acidity sets this up to perform well as a food wine, although the charming smoothness means it also can be enjoyed by itself or with a charcuterie board.
The Castello Pomino estate dates from 1500, the year the castle was constructed. In 1716, Grand Duke Cosimo III de’Medici identified the territory and one of the four best in Tuscany for white wine production. Pomino wines won awards at the 1873 World’s Fair in Vienna. In 1878, they won the gold medal at the World’s Fair in Paris, the highest recognition in the wine world at that time. This effort reflects that storied heritage.
Members of the Frescobaldi family have been major players in Florence and Tuscany for more than 700 years. They began producing wine in Tuscany in 1308; some of their customers included Michelangelo and Henry VIII. At the high point of medieval Florence, the Frescobaldi family spread its influence as bankers, earning the title of treasurer to the English crown. Later, with the flowering of the Renaissance, they became patrons of major works in Florence, including construction of the Santa Trinita bridge and the Basilica of Santo Spirito. In a foreshadowing of the Super Tuscan revolution, they began planting chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot vines in the region in 1855.
In 2007, Lamberto Frescobaldi, the 30th generation of the family, became vice president and oversaw the renewal of the estates in the family’s extensive portfolio. In 2013, Lamberto became president of the company, taking over from his uncle Leonardo. Lamberto studied at UC-Davis and has worked to modernize the company and expand in the U.S. and other markets since the late 1980s. You have a good chance of finding this wine in better wine stores and online.
Frescobaldi Pomino Bianco 2020 delivers supple flavors in an alluring, creamy, soft package with enough citrus tang and touch of bitterness on the finish to make this interestingly multi-dimensional. Apple and peach-pear lead the flavor parade, but the wonderful texture and caressing mouthfeel dominated the first impressions in my initial taste. The citrus and complex notes come upon further review. This could star as a dinner starter paired with appetizers, salads, or fish. Pair with chicken; pork tenderloin; fish and seafood; shellfish, crab cakes; broccoli-bacon, mashed potato sides. Cheese—brie, camembert, gouda, gruyere, havarti. $20-21
Frescobaldi website, rich with photos and videos
