POGGIO ANIMA GABRIEL PECORINO
Screw Cap
Mouth-filling and satisfying Italian white.
Terre de Chieti IGT, Abruzzo, Italy
2021
12.5% ABV.
100% Pecorino
75cl
£13.50
Price includes VAT
Tasting note:
Crystallized lime peel, nectarine and dry herbs on the nose. Juicy and lively with a nice density conveying a dusty citrus zest character and an impression of orchard fruits.
About the wine:
In the ancient Hebrew Book of Enoch, Gabriel, along with Michael, Raphael, Uriel and Suriel, hears the cries of humanity under the strain of the Nephilim (offspring of fallen angels with humans, thought to be giants). It was their beseeching of "the Ancient of Days” that prompted God to call Enoch to the prophetical office. After Enoch informed the archangels of humanity’s fall from grace, the Ancient of Days sent the angels to earth to complete various tasks. Gabriel was to ignite a civil war amongst the Nephilim, thus causing internal strife. Gabriel is recognized as the most important archangel in other texts in various religions. From revealing the Quran to Muhammad, being known as the 'Earth's Moon' in the occult and announcing the birth of Jesus to Mary, his importance is noted throughout historical texts.
Pecorino is a very old grape but was only recently rediscovered and used for monovarietal wines. Named for the ancient tradition of herding sheep (Pecora is the Italian word for sheep), the Pecorino grape is one of the first to ripen and sheep are attracted to the fruit. Less than one mile from the cliffs descending into the Adriatic Sea sits a vineyard perched on a steep slope planted with Montepulciano and Pecorino.
The pecorino is hand-harvested and destemmed with a gentle bladder press to tank. A small percentage of the skins were preserved and tossed back atop the juice and allowed to macerate for seven hours prior to being drained off. Fermentation occurred naturally and after four weeks in tank the wine is racked off of the gross lees and rests for another six months prior to bottling.
About the producer:
Poggio Anima is a joint venture between one of Tuscany's rising stars, Riccardo Campinoti of Le Ragnaie in Montalcino and his U.S.A. importer Ronnie Sanders of Vine Street Imports. The idea is straightforward: to source great vineyards from existing relationships and produce a real wine that conveys a place and a grape. These wines are not bulk wines or leftover juice from a winery; instead, they are the result of long-standing relationships with reputable and respected growers throughout Italy.
