Perduto Pecorino 2024

Story

Once thought to have completely vanished from its native Italian home, Pecorino was rediscovered in the late 20th century amongst the rubble of a neglected vineyard. Pecorino, not to be confused with the sheep-derived hard cheese, can produce highly complex white wines brimming with floral aromatics and textural character. Sourced from McLaren Vale’s first pecorino plantings less than 4km from the coast at Aldinga, Mitolo’s Perduto is no exception.

Tasting note

Savoury and pure fruited, aromas of fresh thyme and chervil, lime juice and lime skin, with white nectarine, gooseberry, margarita salt, subtle white spices, mineral flint and white flowers on the palate. A polished, glassy acidity flows through the wine’s long linear shape with finely layered mineral slate textures, driving a zingy, mouthwatering succulence through to the finish.

Vinification

Destemmed and crushed, air bag pressed and cold settled before racking off heavy lees to a temperature controlled stainless steel tank. The juice was inoculated using W28 yeast and fermented cool over two weeks, with temperatures between 12-16 degrees Celsius, to express and retain fine floral aromatics. Following primary fermentation, the wine was sulphured without malolactic fermentation and kept on lees for 7 months with regular stirring to build texture around the variety’s crisp mineral acidity and savoury phenolics. Heat and cold stabilisation and sterile filtration were carried out prior to bottling.

Vineyard

Lopresti Home Block Vineyard – Flour Mill Road, Whites Valley.

Located less than 2 kilometres from the coastal town of Aldinga and only 4 kilometres from the coastline. Ngaltinga Formation derived alluvial grey sandy clay with pockets of sand interbeds support healthy canopy growth, protecting Pecorino’s fine aromatics and natural acidity. Cooling sea breezes which run across the Gulf St Vincent cool the vineyard and help to retain freshness and vibrancy.

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