2016 Birichino, Pétulant Naturel Malvasia Bianca, Monterey, CA
White | Drink now | Birichino | Code: 49482 | 2016 | USA > California > Santa Cruz County | Malvasia (Malmsey) | Medium Bodied, Dry | 13.0 % alcohol
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Free Specified Date & Standard UK Delivery 3 working days for orders over £200.
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The Producer
Birichino, pronounced biri-kino, is a very interesting project. Founded in Santa Cruz in 2008, and drawing on a combined 35 years making and selling wine in California, France, and Italy, owners and winemakers Alex Krause and John Locke are focused on attaining the perfect balance of perfume, poise, and puckishness with a particular fondness for varieties that provide enormous pleasure and re-ëstablish a direct connection to the sensual world (at least, that’s what they say).
John worked from 1990 to 2007 with the legendary Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon Vineyard, with (the equally legendary) André Ostertag of Domaine Ostertag in Alsace in 1993, and with a host of small producers across Italy and south-western France. Alex started in 1992 with Randall, worked with John in the cellar, and then escaped to the sales side in the later 90's to eventually serve today as Director of Export Sales for Bonny Doon Vineyard.
Their Grenache is from a vineyard planted in 1910, with vines on their own roots. Made with natural yeast fermentation, a bit of whole cluster, and no fining or filtration, from 100 year old vines.
The Grape
Malvasia is a catch-all for a family of ancient Mediterranean grapes known as Malvasia, Malvoisie or Malmsey; their origins lie in Asia Minor and their relevance in decline.
Malvasia is responsible for producing a range of wines styles and colours; red and white, dry, sweet and sparkling. Perhaps better known for its ameliorative effect on Tuscan Vin Santo, providing honeyed smoky fruit intensity, while in Portugal& Madeira it reveals itself as Boal (Malvasia Fina) & Malmsey (Malvasia Candida) in the production of fortified wines.
Massimo Romeo is a source of top-class Vin Santo di Montepulciano, while Barbeito is famed for its Malmsey Madeira.
UK Wide
Standard: Within 3 working days (for orders placed before 2pm)
Specified Date*: 9am-5pm
* "Specified Date" is not available in Northern Ireland, The Isle of Man, The Isle of Wight, The Isles of Scilly and some areas of Scotland.
Further Details
**Qualifying order value excludes tickets, vouchers and wines bought inbond
Order value per delivery address**:
Over £200 - FREE DELIVERY
Below £200 - £10.00
Premium Services
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Next Weekday or Saturday Delivery
Pre-10am Any Day (not available on Saturday)
£15.00
£15.00
Shop Collection
When selecting "Collection" at the check-out, please allow 3 working days for us to process your order from our central warehouses. We therefore highly recommend telephoning before you make your journey to check that your order is ready. Collection is available from our two shops in London & Basingstoke.
FREE
International
International Delivery to Europe & Rest of the World
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delivery charge, per delivery address.
Please note: We are unable to deliver Spirits to the USA
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The local delivery agent in your destination country will contact you to arrange payment of these taxes
This is a cleverly-made, naturally cloudy “Pétulant” Pétillant Naturel from the innovative Birichino. Based on their Malvasia Bianca, some of the juice is held back from the vinification process and then added back to a proportion before bottling it with a little added yeast, sparking a secondary fermentation in bottle – producing the all-important bubbles. The contact of the wine with its lees in bottle brings an added dimension to the flavour profile, adding light floral undertones and a hint of biscuit to the generous fruit profile of lime, green apple and yellow plum. Wonderful as an aperitif, it will prove an interesting match for lightly spiced dishes.
Oliver Barton, Wine Buyer