This wine is made exclusively from Grechetto grapes, typical of Umbria and commonly used in Orvieto DOC blends. Bigi began making monovarietal Grechetto in 1993 with particularly interesteding results. Fermentation and ageing in stainless steel vats give the wine its straw yellow colour, and subtle aromas of cherry and almond blossom and plums. Grechetto Bigi is a very firmly structured white with a pleasing, lingering finish.
PRODUCTION DISTRICT: Orvieto area.
ALTITUDE: 100-400 metres above sea level.
TYPE OF SOIL: Hillside locations, clayey siliceous stony soil.
TRAINING SYSTEM: Traditional Guyot.
HARVEST: The grapes are harvested in October.
WINEMAKING METHOD: The ripe grapes are very softly crushed, followed by natural removal from the lees at low temperatures (6–8°C) and fermentation of the free-run juice with cultured yeasts at a controlled temperature (14–16°C). The new wine is aged in stainless steel vats until March.
SENSORY PROFILE: Straw-yellow colour. A prominent nose with clear-cut, fragrant cherry and almond blossom, and hints of musk and plums. The palate is tangy, rounded, clean-tasting, well-balanced and firmly structured with a well defined, pleasingly bitterish peach kernel note in the very lingering finish.
RECOMMENDED CELLARING: 2 years in bottle laid down horizontally, in a dark and cool place.
FOOD PAIRING: Italian starters, first courses, white meats, strongly flavoured fish dishes.