Rigoloccio, Ezio Puggelli

What sets Rigoloccio apart, however, is the fact that the estate grows on top of an ancient pyrite mine. Pyrite is otherwise known as “Fool’s Gold,” because it’s color and albedo could fool just about anyone. However, Pyrite has a distinctly different chemical composition than gold, it’s chock full of flint, quite alkaline, and adds truly amazing aromatic nuances to the wine, including: smoke, gun metal (salt, powder, char), and a flinty/steely quality that–when balanced with the remarkably ripe fruit–makes for an organoleptic wonder. Winemaker, Ezio Puggelli, one of the last of the true gentlemen winemakers, uses only French oak for his wines, instilling a whiff of expensive vanilla, but only a whiff. He has mastered his land, as much as land can be mastered, and his wines are not to be missed.

Please visit Rigoloccio's website for more information.