Vermentino Filemone

La Fralluca Vermentino is excellent as an aperitif or with dishes such fish-tartare, oysters, shellfish, spicy dishes, mixed fried seafood, any fish grilled or baked in tin foil.

The property covers 45 hectares, located on the hillcrests of Suvereto looking towards Monteverdi Marittima, all in one body: 10 hectares of vineyards, 15 ha of woods, 2 ha of olive trees and the remaining 18 left to pasture. The vineyards are at about 120 metres a.s.l. and are separated from the sea by a belt of hills. A winery, almost entirely underground, was built on the property in 2009. To achieve the highest quality, low yields per vine and a natural balance, vines are planted at high density, at nearly 7,000 plants per hectare. The soils are medium textured, stony, mineral and limestone rich. They are typical of a geological formation known as the “Alberese”. Sangiovese and Vermentino are the main varieties grown on the property, as well as Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Viognier and Alicante Bouschet, which is traditionally and often used in Maremma.

The wine rests and gets refined in stainless steel tanks. It is then bottled and allowed to age in the bottle for about 3 months.

During the harvest the hand-picked La Fralluca Vermentino grapes are placed in small boxes and taken quickly into the winery where they are immediately processed. The whole white clusters are directly softly pressed, without being destemmed and smashed, the fermentation is carried out at controlled temperature. The wine is refined on the yeasts for at least six months.

La Fralluca is a portmanteau word derived from the names of the owners Francesca and Luca. Here is how they recount their story: “When we met and fell in love in 1998 we were working in the fashion industry in Milan. Both economics graduates we discovered that we had two powerful emotions in common: a passion for wine and the desire to start a family. Dreaming of an idyllic life making wine in the warmth of Tuscany we began looking for a plot of land on which to build our dream and we got off to a flying start by meeting and securing the services of a famous consultant Federico Curtaz. After three years of searching for the perfect spot we fell in love (again) at first sight but this time with a plot of land in the wine appellation of Suvereto in coastal Tuscany where on the veranda of a rundown country home we started imagining the project and the first glass of our wine. The site is beautiful lovely with a magnificent view of the hills up to Monteverdi and the Cornate mountains behind Massa Marittima miles of unspoiled woods and Mediterranean scrub absolutely wild and romantic. Passion and enthusiasm are still driving us the joy of being able to work with our hands and with our ideas and the luck to be able to touch the results of our efforts will always pay off.”