Terre Tardive
APPELLATION: Terre Siciliane IGP
GRAPE VARIETIES: Aromatic Chardonnay – Inzolia
WINE TYPE: Late Harvest White Wine
SOIL TYPES: Contrada Milici: marl-derived plateau with a high clay content, strongly calcareous and rich in stones. Contrada Fondirò, Munti area: dark clay soils, highly mineral-rich.
TRAINING SYSTEM: Chardonnay: Tendone – Inzolia: trellis system with spurred cordon and Guyot pruning.
HARVEST PERIOD: September, following partial drying of the grapes on the vine.
HARVESTING METHOD: Manual harvesting into 5 kg crates.
WINEMAKING: Chardonnay: gentle destemming followed by 24–48 hours of pre-fermentation cold maceration. Soft pressing, followed by fermentation, which is stopped by cooling in order to preserve the residual sugar.
Inzolia: gentle destemming and soft pressing. Fermentation is stopped by cooling in order to preserve the residual sugar.
MATURATION: Chardonnay is aged in stainless-steel tanks. The Inzolia is aged partly in oak barriques and partly in stainless-steel tanks. The wines are then blended, bottled and further aged in bottle.
A Late Harvest with a Different Perspective
This unconventional, intriguing and sophisticated wine is the result of Milazzo’s research into new interpretations of its signature Inzolia–Chardonnay blend, first created in 1991 with Maria Costanza Bianco.
An atypical late-harvest wine, it reveals vibrant acidity on the palate, balancing its sweeter elements and resulting in remarkable freshness, balance and drinkability.
Vineyard Approach
The creation of Terre Tardive brought together two key objectives: to highlight the innovative vineyard techniques developed by the winery and to explore new ways of interpreting both the blend and the winemaking process, reflecting Milazzo’s ongoing pursuit of quality and its profound understanding of its terroir.
Both grape varieties undergo careful thinning directly on the vine. Close to full physiological ripeness, the shoots are cut to induce partial dehydration, concentrating the sugars while simultaneously interrupting the ripening process.
This technique also helps preserve a particularly delicate aromatic component, resulting in a fine and elegant aromatic profile and exceptional drinkability.
Tasting Notes
Bright straw yellow with delicate amber reflections, highlighting a modern style that aims to preserve the grapes’ aromatic integrity while deliberately limiting oxidative expression.
The nose is broad and rich, with pronounced tropical notes of ripe pineapple, papaya, mango and candied orange. Well-integrated hints of hay, peppery herbs and nettle add further complexity.
On the palate, it is structured, rounded and fresh, with excellent persistence and fragrance, supported by a pleasant savory character.
Food Pairings
Excellent with foie gras, mortadella terrine, medium-aged cheeses, blue cheeses, truffles, feathered game such as quail and duck, and scallops.
A versatile and unconventional wine, ideal for experimenting with unusual pairings. Also intriguing as an elegant aperitif.
SERVING TEMPERATURE: 7–10°C
ALCOHOL: 14% vol.
