Antinoo Casale del Giglio 2005

The Yogababe chose this wine at Latium at my birthday dinner. It must have gone down well - we polished off 3 bottles. It's very easy drinking, and goes well with Italian food, especially the light, slightly rustic style that Latium serves. It's the type of food that creeps up on you - it feels as though it's a light meal, until the sheer quantity overwhelms. The food needs a wine that washes it down. It went particularly well with my crab tagliolini starter, as that was quite smoky, imposing itself on my palate.

Antinoo Casale del Giglio 2005
White wine
Italy (Lazio)
Chardonnay (66%), Viognier (34%)

Nose: Lychees, cream, oak, tart lemons, pear.
Mouthfeel: Smooth and gluggable. Drink in gulps.
Tasting: Sweet, floral (violets?), lychees, strawberry, clotted cream.

Casale del Giglio is the vineyard. It's owned by the Santarelli family, winemakers since 1914. The Casale del Giglio property is drained marshland in the Agro Pontine, south of Rome. The Santarelli family started growing wine grapes there in the mid-80s. They make about 10 types of wine here, as well as 2 varieties of grappa.

The Antinoo 2000 is supposed to be award winning (whatever that means - there are probably too many awards - but at least they point the way to the vineyard's better produce). In addition, I think I'm going to try to hunt down the Madreselva - a red wine, blended from Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Sounds really full bodied, fruity and just a little gamey, a combination I really like.