Quattrocento 2023

ProducerCascina ZerbettaRegionMonferrato, Piedmont, ItalyGrapeSauvignon BlancGeologyClay-rich soilsFarmingOrganic practicesVintage2023CertifierICEA

AbstractPeach, herbal, savoury
A portion of skin-fermented Sauvignon gives this Monferrato white more texture than its familiar grassy counterparts.

Winemaker
Paolo Malfatti grew up in Milan, but childhood visits to the Langhe drew him towards farming. Agricultural studies and an oenology master's degree led to work in Barolo, Franciacorta and Chianti before he established Cascina Zerbetta at Quargnento.

He farms organically using biodynamic methods. Barbera and Sauvignon Blanc grow on Monferrato's clay-rich ground. His wines are given time to mature, with skin contact used for some of the Sauvignon Blanc.

Wine
A small portion of the Sauvignon Blanc begins fermenting on skins before joining the remaining juice. Time in steel and bottle gives Quattrocento a more textured expression.

Yellow fruit and herbs, with a savoury, gently textured palate. Sauvignon is present, but the wine does not rely on its most obvious grassy aromas.

Origin
Quargnento lies in Monferrato, in the rolling hills of Piedmont. Red clay soils give these vines a different foundation from many of Sauvignon Blanc's more familiar sites.