So when is a white wine golden yellow in colour? Three possible reasons:
- aged in oak
- botrytised
- old
Oh, and a fourth reason – the wine could be oxidised, dead, no longer drinkable. I had feared the latter, but in fact with this Inama Soave Classico Vigneto du Lot, it was a bit of a combination of 1) and 3). There is 25% new oak in the vinification (plus battonage) and this was the hot 2018 vintage. But, actually, if you ignored the colour, the wine was extraordinarily youthful with aromas of vanilla, camomile, almond and a little buttered toast plus that tell-tale soapy, salty finish that Garganega acquires on volcanic soils. The Vigneto du Lot is a single vineyard giving concentrated, intense aromas. Just the job to brighten up a weekday evening.