Iastemma di Canlibero: review of a natural white wine of incredible elegance
One of the most incredible wines of Campania, and in particular of the whole Benevento area, is the macerated white Iastemma di Canlibero. It is excellent not so much because it is a shining example of natural wine but because it manages to create a wine anathema and condense all the fabric, confidence, and aromatic vitality of a great grape like Falanghina into liquid magic. Despite being a wine that has undergone 8 months of maceration on the skins, the tannin is very light, elegant, and finesse has a light step and allows itself to be wooed by a splendid acidity for fullness and sunshine.
Forget the usual Falanghine all apricot fruit that tire and are monotonous. This is a constantly swirling rainbow of flavors and aromas. Indeed, the fruity part is complex and varied, as befits Falanghina. You are spoiled for choice, apricots and dates, medlar and candied oranges. However, it is the floral suggestions that dominate. The herbs emerge strongly to create layers upon layers of perfumes. That of yellow fruit is only the beginning.
Emblematic is the name “iastemma,” to say that making Falanghina macerata is blasphemy, but done in this way is a stroke of genius and revolutionizes the way of interpreting the vine without distorting it. From light-hearted wine to a rock symphony, the step is short. All you need is a little courage and madness.
Do not expect an approximate or too marked wine from maceration. On the contrary, what emerges is the aromatic volume of Falanghina raised to power. It is not an orange wine, all resin, tannins, and incense, not at all … once again, we witness the mastery of a winemaker who knows how to use maceration to enhance a unique varietal like this, without falling into the gustatory binary or the tannic cage.
If you are unfamiliar with the Canlibero winery, know that it is one of the most interesting emerging wineries in the Sannio Beneventano panorama. They make pure wines, rocky and without frills, with a clear personality, without compromising either in the vineyard or the cellar. In this case, the Falanghina holds the stage: spontaneous fermentation and maceration for 8 months in open vats and then rests for 3 months in the bottle and 3 in the bottle. No filtrations or clarifications are carried out, and no sulfites are added. The vines have their roots in soils rich in clay and limestone.
Organoleptic characteristics of Iastemma Canlibero white wine
Bright golden yellow color. Ripe nose with citrus fruits, medlars, figs to no end, but it is the frame of dried herbs and flowers that gives a boost to a splendid aromatic profile. The tones are mature but precise, dry, sharp, and do not stop for a moment. Excellent variety with a play of light and dark Dionysian.
It is salty as an attack on the palate, but then it stretches and opens like a fan with candied and complex suggestions. The long maceration comes into play, adding depth, expanding the boundaries of Falanghina, expanding the structure and playing down the aromaticity of this grape.
But as mentioned, it is not a heavy-footed macerate, quite the opposite. The phrasing between acidity and salt is splendid and makes the wine always flowing, sharp, irresistible. At the moment, it is already enjoyable and balanced, but it is a wine that does not fear the next ten years. If you prefer a more dynamic and straightforward wine, drink it now. If you want it to develop into incredible tertiary harmony, wait 5 years and enjoy.
Price of Iastemma di Canlibero white wine
22-23 euros. A reasonable price for a white wine of great depth and elegance, produced with care, without chemicals, without sulfites, which sweeps away the clichés about white wines from Campania. Who said that Falanghina could not be a great wine?
Food Pairings
Pair this rocky white wine with Vitello tonnato or pad thai.