La Villana Fuorilogo Vino Bianco 2023

Grape: Viogner Vermentino Moscato Vintage: 2023 Type: Orange Crafted by American expat Joy Kull in Gradoli, along the dramatic volcanic shores of Lake Bolsena in northern Lazio, this cuvée playfully embraces its non-traditional roots. The name Fuoriluogo translates to "out of place," referencing the fact that its grape varieties are not historically indigenous to this specific pocket of Lazio. Sourced from a preserved, twenty-year-old vineyard in nearby Farnese that Kull rescued from being uprooted, the vines thrive in iron-and-sulfur-rich volcanic rock and ash. Kull employs a true "zero-zero" natural winemaking approach: partial skin maceration for texture, wild fermentation with native yeasts in fiberglass tanks, and bottling without added sulfur or filtration. In the glass, it shows a slightly hazy, deep golden-straw hue with shimmering amber edges. The aromatics are intensely perfumed and wild, leaping out with notes of ripe apricot, orange blossom, wild mint, and a touch of warm mesquite wood. On the palate, a "crystalline" streak of electric, volcanic acidity cuts right through the natural weight and oily texture of the Viognier and Moscato. The brief skin contact provides a fine, sand-castle tannic grip that gives the mid-palate great structural focus and agility. It sails into a bone-dry, highly textural finish that leaves a savory trail of dried thyme, citrus peel, and a distinct punch of salty mineral brine.