Cinzia Merli has turned the tables on her 2015 Paleo Bianco. Traditionally, the wine has been mostly Sauvignon Blanc and a smaller part Chardonnay for structure. This vintage marks a role reversal with 75% Chardonnay and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. The winemaking team weighed whether or not to include Vermentino, but ultimately decided against using that more simplistic variety. Paleo Bianco has been in production since 1991, so this vintage represents a big shake up for a wine that has been delivering consistent results all these years. Only 30% of the wine sees contact with new oak barrel, down from 60% in previous vintages. Maceration times have been reduced and the harvest was pushed up just a tad. They are experimenting with Acacia wood as well. These important changes have conspired to create a wine of added complexity and nuance. I'm not going to say that this wine is more intense from an aromatic point of view, because it's not. The decreased Sauvignon Blanc has stripped the bouquet of those obviously exotic fruit fragrances. Instead, this beauty offers luscious stone fruit, honey, saffron, flint and crushed oyster shell. Slightly herbal notes also add to its appeal. The finish is almost salty or savory in character. This wine will surely evolve over the next ten years. This is a real beauty.
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