{"title":"The Wines of Testalonga","description":"Antonio Perrino is one of those mythical figures in Italian viticulture that everyone knows, but very few have ever drunk a wine from. This is mainly due to the fact that he owns just seven small barrels in which his entire production is stored. In other words, that's a maximum of (7 x 500) : 0.75 = 4666 bottles, which is a microscopic amount even for a garage winemaker. Antonio, who sells his wines under the Testalonga label, has never made any attempt to change this. The vineyards that he cultivates in the wildly sloping Arcagna vineyard near Dolceacqua have not been enlarged since his beginnings as a winegrower in 1961.\u003cbr\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"testalonga-vermentino","title":"Vermentino 2023","description":"\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntonio Perrino is a garage winemaker.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe was one even before the term was coined in Bordeaux, stripped of its true meaning, and turned into a marketing concept and communication strategy, which was then relentlessly implemented in Bordeaux.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003eThese ideas and strategies passed Antonio by like the overly concentrated, dark Merlots that, from the 1980s onward, became the contribution of Bordeaux garage winemakers to the history of wine culture, eventually conquering the world, with supporters even around his homeland in Dolceacqua, Liguria. Antonio, however, continued to focus on his monastic, pale Rossese, one of the most refined, delicate, and sophisticated red wines in Italy. And on his Vermentino, which, just like his red counterpart, consistently refused to follow overregional trends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStyle\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003eAntonio macerates the Vermentino for five days. But – and here we quote the words of others, which couldn’t be more accurate – “the maceration is not intended to give the wine tannin and a heavy chassis, but rather serves to emphasize its flavor nuances” (Castagno \u0026amp; Co.: Vini da Scoprire). The little tannin in the wine is so smooth and fine that it’s barely noticeable – the structure is primarily given by a mix of mineral substance and acidity, which gives the wine pressure and drive, carrying it towards the palate. There and a little further down, they remain for the next few minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003eThe wine is aged for 18 months in not-too-large oak barrels, where Antonio, unlike his French colleagues, exclusively uses 100% used oak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Sheet\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrape Variety:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100% Vermentino\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVineyard:\u003c\/strong\u003e Steep single vineyard above Dolceacqua, with a view of the sea, and thus influenced by it. Sandy, weathered soils. Old vines (50+ years old)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e By hand in 25 kg baskets\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFermentation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spontaneous | wild yeasts, no temperature control\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAging:\u003c\/strong\u003e 18 months in used oak barrels, five-day maceration\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFiltration:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSO₂:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u0026lt;50mg\/l\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlcohol Content:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13.5% vol.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClosure:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural cork\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDrinking Temperature:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10-12°C\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOptimal Drinking Window:\u003c\/strong\u003e From now – 2030\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVolume and Price per Liter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.75 l (€48.92\/l)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhilosophy:\u003c\/strong\u003e All winemakers listed at Vinonudo use compost, organic fertilizers, and natural preparations in their vineyards, avoiding herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Testalonga","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":18466171125829,"sku":"","price":38.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0052\/7305\/9397\/products\/Bianco_00b1f65d-e464-48bf-aa3c-23162a1688f7.jpg?v=1605426754"},{"product_id":"testalonga-rossese-di-dolceacqua","title":"Rossese di Dolceacqua 2023","description":"\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRossese is sensitive, delicate, and subtle.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIts color is as transparent as contact lenses and lighter than blood. After a few years, it shifts to a rust-colored orange. It ages moderately, oxidizes easily, and requires attention. It’s understandable, then, that there are only about 80 hectares of Rossese in total. What’s remarkable, however, is that from this small quantity, one of Italy’s best red wines is produced—something that requires some explanation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003eAlthough it’s not easy to pinpoint exactly why Antonio Perrino’s Rossese di Dolceacqua opens new worlds, he probably knows best—though he’s not particularly talkative about it. So, let’s make a few assumptions and hope that some of them hit the mark. First and foremost, there is the winemaker himself. With the 2025 harvest marking his 64th, one can safely assume that he knows what he’s doing. Trends and fashions don’t interest him; he simply does what he believes is right and what tastes good to him. With just over two hectares of vines, he does everything by hand. His vineyard is steep, growing on a rock he calls \u003cem\u003esgruttu\u003c\/em\u003e, which geologists refer to as \u003cem\u003eflysch\u003c\/em\u003e. The proximity to both the sea and the mountains, as well as the thermic effects of both, surely contribute to the wine’s elegance. In the cellar, which is really his garage, the wine is allowed to develop at its own pace. Fermentation is spontaneous, and aging takes place in small, used oak barrels, without filtration or added sulfur.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStyle\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003eTransparent and light, the wine seems to be draped under a red veil. Wild strawberries, roses, thyme, and salt provide initial aromas and flavors, while pepper and Mediterranean herbs complement them. The tannins are velvety and soft, with a pulse of acidity that never pushes to the forefront. The texture is smooth yet dignified, and the body is elegant. The flow of drinking combines with substance and depth, and the finish is herbaceous and long-lasting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Sheet\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrape Variety:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100% Rossese\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant Protection:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sulfur, copper, and plant- or animal-based preparations, not certified\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVineyard:\u003c\/strong\u003e Steep single vineyard above Dolceacqua, close to the sea and almost in the mountains, influenced by both. Sandy, weathered soils, \u003cem\u003eflysch\u003c\/em\u003e. Old vines (50+ years). Training system: \u003cem\u003eAlberello\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e By hand in 25 kg baskets\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFermentation:\u003c\/strong\u003e Spontaneous | wild yeasts, no temperature control\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAging:\u003c\/strong\u003e 18-day maceration, 18 months in used oak barrels\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFiltration:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSO₂:\u003c\/strong\u003e Unsulfured\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlcohol Content:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13.5% vol\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClosure:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural cork\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDrinking Temperature:\u003c\/strong\u003e 14-16°C\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOptimal Drinking Window:\u003c\/strong\u003e From now – 2032\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVolume and Price per Liter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.75 l (€48.62\/l)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhilosophy:\u003c\/strong\u003e All winemakers listed at Vinonudo work with compost, organic fertilizers, and natural preparations in their vineyards, avoiding the use of herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Testalonga","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":18466344173637,"sku":"","price":38.9,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0052\/7305\/9397\/products\/Rossese.jpg?v=1605426696"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0052\/7305\/9397\/collections\/Testalonga_Vermentino.png?v=1593342166","url":"https:\/\/vinonudo.at\/en\/collections\/testalonga-italy.oembed","provider":"vinonudo","version":"1.0","type":"link"}