Avignonesi Il Marzocco Chardonnay Toscana 2024

Il Marzocco Chardonnay, Tuscany in white

With Il Marzocco 2024, Avignonesi offers a dry Chardonnay aged three months in oak barrels, whose profile combines ripe fruit, dried flowers and a soft texture. I'd pick it for the balance between a delicate aromatic expression and an elegant palate, without losing sight of its Tuscan roots. Organic and vegan, it offers another take on a region best known for its reds.

A Chardonnay from Montepulciano, between clay and limestone

This wine is made by Avignonesi, an estate located in Montepulciano, in southern Tuscany, and carries the IGP Toscana designation. The estate's Chardonnay vines grow on clay soils where layers of limestone appear, with a northwest exposure. This vineyard setting gives the cuvée a precise framework: that of a white from a familiar grape variety, but grown in the heart of a territory usually associated with red wines. The appellation and the grape variety are clearly stated; there's no need to attribute to them a longer history than the one we know.

The estate keeps the name of its founders. In 2009, it came under the direction of Virginie Saverys, a Belgian lawyer who became a winemaker out of passion for wine. She led Avignonesi through a transformation founded on organic farming and biodynamics. The Il Marzocco cuvée pays tribute to the stone lion that watches over the estate's palazzo: a figure of strength and protection present in its identity. For this Chardonnay, the grapes are hand-harvested when they reach optimal ripeness. After a brief maceration in an inert environment, fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, at controlled temperature. Three months in oak barrels complete the aging.

At the table, for delicate cooking

The nose is delicate and lively: dried orange peel meets yellow mirabelle plum, with subtle touches of exotic fruit and dried flowers. On the palate, the wine is dry, elegant and medium-bodied. Its silky, enveloping texture accompanies a balanced structure, without heaviness; the persistent finish leaves a clean and pleasant impression. The available description does not specify the color of the wine, so I prefer to stick to the elements actually perceptible in the tasting notes rather than invent a visual detail.

At the table, I imagine it alongside simply prepared fish, roast poultry, or a vegetable risotto: dishes that let its fruity nuances and texture shine without overpowering its dry finish. Serve it at a meal where you can take the time to savor it, or save it for an occasion when a Tuscan white makes a pleasant change from the region's reds. This is a bottle to open right away, though it can also be left to evolve. If you enjoy restrained Chardonnays with precise aromas and discreet oak aging, Il Marzocco deserves a place at your table.