Easy drinking blend of Trebbiano and a small dash of Chardonnay, zippy and fresh. Madregale Terre di Chieti Bianco

Cantina Tollo Madregale Terre di Chieti Bianco (IGP) 2022, 12.5% ABV

RRP: €13.50. Stockists: 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny 

Easy drinking blend of Trebbiano and a small dash of Chardonnay, uncomplicated, zippy and fresh.

Looking for an easy-drinking white that doesn’t cost a packet? Then, look no further. This award-winning Cantina Tollo, from one of the biggest and best cooperative wineries in the Abruzzo region, is just the ticket. 

It has a light straw yellow colour; on the nose, there’s a mild mix of fruity and floral notes, while on the palate, it is dry, soft, and harmonious (with hints of apple and citrus) with a slightly almondy aftertaste. Importers Le Caveau say this zippy and fresh white is made from hand-harvested grapes and, with an indigenous yeast fermentation, “which may well account for its bright, fresh drinkability.”  They certainly sell a lot of it, and it regularly turns up as a house wine on local restaurant lists. If you see it, order with confidence!

It is superb as an aperitif or as a companion to light seafood or pasta dishes like spaghetti with clams. Highly Recommended.

Most if us will be familar with Chardonnay. Maybe not with Trebbiano, the main grape here. Trebbiano grows well in Abruzzo, with “great vigour and constant in production, as it loves light, siliceous-calcareous soils,…… Short pruning favours consistency in production. And, unoaked and naturally fermented and bottled to retain fruit characteristics and fresh acidity, this white captures the grape’s quality and the sunshine of the Southern Italian region perfectly.

Cantina Tollo has over 800 growers who, between them, have over 3,200 hectares of vineyards. All of the growers and the winery are certified organic. The range of terroirs allows some bottlings to label themselves as coming from more specific sub-zones, like this one, for example, in the Terre di Chieti.

• This post is part of a series on Italian wines made from native grapes and produced by usually small or medium-sized organic wineries. Taking some “guidance” here from the recently published VINO. Mightn’t always net the hat trick but hope to score two from the three each time. I have quite a few lined up, but I’m happy to consider any suggestions or help. #OrganicItaly
• See the expanding list of #OrganicItaly wines here