Fior d’Arancio DOCG: Dry, Spumante and Passito
One of the 14 DOCG of Veneto is hidden among the Euganean Hills in the greenest part of the province of Padua. Labelled with the DOCG certification (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) since 2010 was, actually considered DOC since 1969, with the certification of DOC Euganean Hills.
Fior d’Arancio DOCG, a little history
Fior d’Arancio DOCG is obtained through the vinification of a single important vineyard, 100% (or a minimum of 95%) of Moscato Giallo. It is a vineyard that surprise not only for its flavours and aromas that enclose but also for its long history.
Moscato Giallo reached Veneto and Italy from far away. Its precise origin is uncertain but it can be located in Middle East, maybe in Mesopotamia or Syria. It is not a coincidence if this vineyard has aromatic notes that remind the orange blossom called “zagara”, the name of Arabian origin (from zahara) to call the white flowers of the citrus.
The name of this precious wine, Fior d’Arancio, derives from the notes of orange blossom that characterise Moscato Giallo wine.
Fior d’Arancio DOCG: the dry version
The DOCG label has been released to three versions of this wine, Fior d’Arancio Spumante, Fior d’Arancio Passito and the last one Colli Euganei Fior d’Arancio DOCG without further features, a still and dry wine.
This version suffers maybe of the most common pairing for this wine with the sweet taste of Spumante wine and Passito, on the contrary, it is a dry wine with a rich and complex aromatic bouquet that mix together with the traditional features of Moscato wine, many other aromas. The Code of Conduct defines the taste of this version “from dry to sweet”. In the mouth it is dry or with a slight sugar residual, characterised however by a fresh note.
It is a pleasant wine, characterised by different perfumes and other aromas that can vary from delicate to strong. The perfect wine to pair with fish dishes or to sip for aperitif.
Fior d’Arancio DOCG: Passito wine
Sweet, intriguing and precious, Fior d’Arancio Passito is a complex wine, well structured and that don’t become cloying, boasting a masterful balance of flavours. It is not a common wine; the particular making process, the strong tie with the territory and the polish aromas, besides the limited edition make it the perfect wine for special occasions.
As all the best Passito wines, the grapes are collected by hand and placed in boxes where they rests until their full ripening, sugar concentration and water. The ability of the winemaker is essential to value the perfect moment to start the grape harvest, because from this depends the vinification process, and if it rests in wood or steel barrels it depends the organoleptic characteristics.
The colour can be up to a gold and amber yellow. Its smell is intense, anticipating to the nose all its complexity. In the mouth it is highlighted not only by its sweetness but it is intriguing for its aromas and balance, looking like a persistent wine.
Fior d’Arancio DOCG: Spumante wine
The most spread version is the sparkling one, an aromatic and tasty wine to pair desserts and cakes. Its foam, that can be more or less lasting, is the main feature of Fior d’Arancio Spumante wine. Still a DOC, it enter the world of DOCG in 2011 and year by year it conquered even more palates and wine lovers. It isn’t an ordinary sweet Spumante to toast at the end of the meal. Even if it is a sweet wine, it is able not to become cloying thanks to its balanced acidity that counterbalance the sugar note, enhancing the intriguing aromas and the notes of orange blossom, citrus and apricot. Fior d’Arancio Spumante maintains a good balance can vary, however based on the vinification and the working of the grapes. In this way, it is possible to create more sugary versions that tend to ripe fruit to other versions where the fresh note and acid is enhanced to obtain a wine with fresh and floral aromatic notes.
