Delicata Releases First Chardonnay RIŻERVA
Mature Chardonnay is a timeless classic. And, with that in mind, Delicata has just released the first Riżerva Chardonnay of Malta, which is undoubtedly primed for a big following among lovers of complex whites.
It certainly makes a bold statement, this 2018 Chardonnay with ‘Riżerva’ being clearly visible on the winery’s premium Gran Cavalier label.
The usage of the mention Riżerva is regulated by law in Malta. In the case of Malta-grown white wine, it can only be used if the wine has spent an indeterminate time in an oak barrel and was left to mature a minimum of six months in bottle before its release. A white Riżerva cannot be sold before 24 months have passed from September 1 of the vintage year and the wine’s alcoholic strength must be minimum 12% vol.
Delicata’s 2018 Gran Cavalier Chardonnay Riżerva, DOK Malta, Superior was fermented in French oak barriques and aged on its fine lees for 6 months, adding depth and complexity to its voluptuous character. This inimitable Chardonnay was further bottle-aged in climate-controlled vaults for 18 months.
Malta’s First White Wine Rizerva
It is a full-flavoured dry wine produced from bunch-pressed Chardonnay grapes that were handpicked from two individual pocket-sized vineyards. At Tal-Ħemsija the vines grow in white carbonate soil over fractured limestone and at Wied ta’ l-Isqof in clay loam over blue clay.
Judging by the wine’s fresh nose and delicate flavours, award-winning winemaker Matthew Delicata must have spent an inordinate amount of time working out the correct ageing regime for this first-of-its-kind Maltese Chardonnay.
Like many of the most admired white wines today, the 2018 Gran Cavalier Riżerva is no heavy archetype built on severe oak maturation that would subdue its fruity charm. On the contrary: its creamy palate is full of precise juicy pear and apple fruit topped with a subtle hint of caramel and brioche, all which is blessed with just a tiny caress of sweet wood.
The 2018 Gran Cavalier Chardonnay Riżerva sips deliciously on its own but also suits the dinner table. This rich white has a particular affinity for cheese soufflé or fondue, poached salmon, lobster Thermidor, prawns or crab with black butter sauce, pork tenderloin with applesauce, roast turkey, as well as hard cheeses such as Gruyère and Cheddar.
This unique Maltese Riżerva by Delicata will keep till 2025 – unless you get tempted to try it sooner that is!
This article by Georges Meekers was first published in the Times of Malta on 17/12/21.
