VISPO LITRO
VARIOUS ITALIAN TERROIRS
Vispo Litro is a project focusing on the promotion of small, organic grape growers and their unique terroirs. From the Alps to the Mediterranean Sea this limited, collaborative effort employs star Alto Piemontese enologist Cristiano Garella whose expertise touches quite a few excellent wineries that are imported to Australia (including our champions, Crotin). These are fresh, clean and textured wines in a generous litre format. With their beautiful, high-quality fruit – often from each estate's younger vines – they drink beautifully over many days making them excellent by the glass options.
Each bottle denotes the grower, acknowledging their work and promoting traceability. All the wines are certified organic, spontaneously fermented and on the lower on alcohol %. They have low sulfur additions and are unfined, unfiltered and a joy to drink.
VISPO offer loads of low alcohol deliciousness, yet not in that international, wine-from-nowhere ‘glou-glou’ style where the soil, grape, and terroir gets erased. These are wines of place and personality from excellent hard-working growers.
THE WINES
Vispo Litro ‘Bianco’
Gently crafted by renowned Friuli producer, I Clivi, from their famed ‘Galea’ vineyard. 6 months with lees with some stirring adds texture to this refreshing, detailed white. It shows honeycomb, white flowers and depth of fruit – acid driven to a classy finish. It’s an aperitivo gift with enough character and oomf to match seafoods, clear broths and light white pasta dishes. This stunning Bianco is an incredible wine for the price.
Vispo Litro ‘Macerato’
This version of Vispo’s macerated white comes from the limestone soils of organic winery Polvanera around Murgia in Puglia. Here the white grape Verdeca finds its home and handles clever extended skin contact marvelously. On first tasting this was a thrilling surprise for us, and not just a fashionably orange coloured wine. ‘Macerato’ has a wonderful structure from skin tannin that is overlaid with plentiful fruit for balance and pleasure. Apricot marmalade, mandarin and orange blossom are features as well as the tingly acidity that keeps the whole show moving. This is proper macerated white wine.
Vispo Litro ‘Rosato’
Organic Sicilian producer, Cossentino, is responsible for this glorious coastal pink. Born from sandy, red clay and fossil soils near the coast, the Nero d’Avola (80%), Perricone (15%) and Cattarrato (5%) is grown at 200m across two vineyards in Partinico. Direct press and spontaneous coferment is followed by 10 months in stainless steel. Bright-fruited and crunchy, yet with a savoury finish and a touch of structure, it is full of personality.
Vispo Litro ‘Rosso’
This is a shake-up in the landscape of under ripe, frustratingly thin red wines that are sold ‘to be chilled’. Vispo Rosso does chilled red at a high level, as well as being beautiful ambient – a true all year-rounder. This Sicilian version is Cossentino’s blend of Nero d’Avola, Perricone and a touch of Cattarrato grown at 400m in Partinico. The grapes are cofermented and macerated for 5 days. The wine has layers of fresh fruits ranging black to red, each contributing to a fruit-complex delight.