Casale del Giglio 'Anthium' Bellone 2024

Casale del Giglio "Anthium" Bellone is a remarkable, heritage-driven white wine produced in the Lazio region of Central Italy.The wine represents a fascinating archaeological and viticultural rescue project. It is made entirely from Bellone, an ancient native grape praised by Pliny the Elder in Roman times as Uva Pantastica. The fruit for Anthium is sourced from a tiny, historic 2.4-hectare vineyard situated just behind the coastal town of Anzio, south of Rome. These vines are over 60 years old and uniquely ungrafted (franco di piede); they survived the global phylloxera epidemic because the destructive insect cannot travel through the loose, coastal beach sands in which they are planted.Wine DescriptionThis wine pours a deep, luminous yellow flecked with brilliant golden reflections. Aromas: The nose is intensely sunny and tropical, opening with rich aromas of ripe mango, papaya, white peach, and Williams pear, complexed by undertones of hawthorn blossom, chamomile, and a hint of beeswax. Palate: On the palate, the wine is rich, ample, and surprisingly broad, offering a luxurious, silken texture. It balances its ripe tropical fruit center with a robust, "zingy" acidity and a powerful streak of salty, iodine-like coastal minerality. Finish: It concludes with an exceptionally long, savory finish featuring persistent fruit notes and a pleasant, traditional touch of bitter almond. The winemaking process utilizes a 48-hour cold skin-maceration at 8°C to deeply extract the aromatics locked in the grape's thick skins. Following a gentle press, it undergoes a spontaneous fermentation using only indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks. To protect its pure varietal definition, the wine is aged entirely in stainless steel on its fine lees for six months, followed by two months of bottle refinement before commercial release. It typically carries a robust ABV of 13.5% to 14%.Food PairingThanks to its combination of full-bodied weight and brisk acidity, Anthium functions as an incredible gastronomic wine that pairs easily with both seafood and rich, savory dishes: Seafood: Superb with traditional Roman seafood dishes, pan-fried fish (fritto misto), crab cakes, or rich seafood risottos. Pasta: A brilliant, unconventional match for classic Roman pasta dishes like Pasta alla Gricia or Cacio e Pepe, where the wine's sharp acidity cuts beautifully through the richness of the guanciale and pecorino cheese. White Meats & Vegetables: Complements herb-roasted chicken, savory mushroom tarts, and grilled asparagus.