Tenuta Mazzolino BLANC 2012 VINTAGE

Tenuta Mazzolino Blanc 2012 is a single-varietal Chardonnay from Corvino San Quirico in Lombardy's Oltrepò Pavese, a corner of northern Italy where vines have grown continuously for three millennia. The Braggiotti family has farmed this land since 1980, and the 2012 vintage marks more than a decade of bottle age—a rarity for Italian Chardonnay and a window into how the grape evolves in a cooler continental climate. The brilliant straw-yellow color carries hints of gold that deepen with each year in glass. The Braggiotti family works hillside vineyards in Corvino, a zone whose clay-limestone soils and southeast exposures favor structured whites over the Pinot Nero that dominates much of Oltrepò Pavese. The 2012 Blanc sees careful oak treatment—enough to lend vanilla and roasted hazelnut without masking the citrus pith and white-flower aromatics native to the variety. Extended lees contact builds the velvety texture and mineral depth that define the estate's house style. This is Chardonnay grown and vinified to age, not to drink young. The nose opens with white flowers, lemon peel, and vanilla before giving way to hazelnut and a faint almond-skin bitterness on the finish. The palate is dry and persistent, with lively acidity balanced by the weight of a dozen years in bottle—the fruit has mellowed into candied citrus and quince, the oak into baking spice. Pair it with fatty fish like sablefish or halibut, roast chicken with lemon and herbs, or risotto alla milanese. The mineral backbone and nutty finish make it a natural match for aged Alpine cheeses or a simple plate of prosciutto and melon. Tenuta Mazzolino Blanc 2012 is available now at Off Premise in Lincoln Park for pickup at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.