The second vintage of the lovely white wine known as “Coenobium” is due to arrive soon. Made by the sisters of the Cistercian order, this wine is organically cultivated at the monastery in Vitorchiano, a hillside town in the Lazio district about an hour north of Rome. The wine is composed primarily of the Verdicchio grape and is supplemented with small percentages of Grachetto, Malvasia, and Trebbiano.
The vinification occurs in stainless steel tanks, but one of the critical secrets behind the special character of this wine is that Giampiero Bea, the son of Paolo Bea our remarkable grower in Montefalco, is there to help guide the Coenobium into bottle.
The extended lees contact used by Bea for his “Santa Chiara” is in vivid evidence here. The result is a wine of stunning concentration with herbal and citrus notes, fine density on the palate, and a classic minerality to the finish. This wine is unfined and unfiltered and thus bears a particularly rich, gold-green color which announces an idiosyncratic and compelling treat. In 2006, approximately 16,000 bottles of Coenobium were produced; 9000 are destined for the United States market.
We are expecting this wine to arrive the first week of March — contact us now to reserve your order.
$24/btl
