Lazio is a wine region known predominantly for Frascati though it is also home to a few, small, legendary producers such as Fiorano and, also, Colli di Catone. Colli di Catone makes Frascati but they are best known for their Colle Gaio bottling – made from the ancient variety Malvasia Puntinata, also known as Malvasia del Lazio, which he planted roughly thirty years ago on his best vineyard of the same name.
Winemaker Antonio Pulcini normally exclusively sells his wines locally though recently the Rare Wine Company has convinced him to part with a small yearly allocation. Pulcini works out of a 2000 year old Roman villa with vineyards planted on the local volcanic tufa part of what gives his wines their energy and character. Malvasia del Lazio is a naturally low-yielding variety though Pulcini goes even further reducing yields to an impressive 20 hl per hectare. The wine spends a few days on the skins before pressing and Antonio allows the fermentation to proceed slowly, sometimes reaching four months in length. The wine then ages for three to four years in steel before bottling. At that point the bottles are often aged in the cellar covered in sand, for many years, sometimes decades!
This is a very special Italian white of cult status that we are proud to welcome into our portfolio!