Podere Sottoilnoce Valtiberia 2024

Max Brondolo grew up stealing grapes from his grandfather's vineyard in Piedmont. He spent his first paychecks on wine. At 40-years old, he decided to leave Milan, move to the countryside of Modena, and started making wine. In 2016, he found a one-hectare vineyard for sale with a gigantic walnut tree in the middle. He fell in love. Podere Sottoilnoce means "the farm under the walnut tree."

First vintage was 2017. Now he farms 6.5 hectares biodynamically, with woods and meadows around it. He works with ancient Trebbiano grapes that are usually used for balsamic vinegar.  His Valtiberia is named after the road flanking the vineyard. A local heartland for Trebbiano. The grapes are 50% Trebbiano Modenese and 50% Trebbiano di Spagna. Destemmed, gently pressed, no skin contact. Co-fermented and aged in concrete tanks. The secondary fermentation happened in the bottle, triggered with unfermented grape must during the waxing moon on February 21, 2024. Released undisgorged in summer 2024. Only 6,531 bottles.

Max says Trebbiano Modenese is floral and a talented "finisseur." Trebbiano di Spagna has a never-ending nose of peach, green mango, yellow flowers, tropical hints, and mouth-filling acidity. Together, they make a white where fruit and freshness go hand in hand. I agree. It's frizzante, a little bubbly, a little wild. Drink it with good friends and good food.