Wine maker notes

The distinctive techniques used to make this wine, a balance of old-world tradition and new-world technique, ensure a high-quality wine with truly unique characteristics. The aromas and flavors of Maso Canali are rounder, riper and more pronounced than those found in many Pinot Grigio wines. Fabrizio Gatto, one of the premier winemakers in Italy today, believes that only by using the best grapes possible can a winemaker reflect the full spectrum of balanced fruit flavors in each bottle of finished wine. Fabrizio blends this high-quality sourcing with truly creative winemaking techniques to craft the acclaimed Maso Canali Pinot Grigio. In a surprising departure from typical techniques for a white wine, Fabrizio uses the labor-intensive Passito Method to give Maso Canali Pinot Grigio its fuller body and ripe tropical fruit flavors. Passito is a classical winemaking practice most often associated with the costly Amarone wines of Northeastern Italy. The rich, red Amarone wine is typically produced entirely from Passito grapes, whereas Fabrizio blends only a small portion of Pinot Grigio Passito into each vintage of Maso Canali. The technique is so powerful that even this small portion evolves the taste profile into a richer, deeper, more complex wine. For Maso Canali Passito, Fabrizio selects the finest late-harvest grapes from each vintage’s growth. These ripened grapes are dried on racks that allow for maximum air circulation in the winery loft. The raisinated fruit is then vinified separately and added to the final blend, imparting depth and complexity, and an intensive tropical fruit character to the wine. In one of the later phases of the winemaking process, Fabrizio allows the wine to rest on the lees longer than is typically associated with Pinot Grigio winemaking. This technique ensures a wine with fuller body, exquisite aromas, and the deliciously rounded mouthfeel associated with Maso Canali Pinot Grigio.