Crinella Wines
2006 Pinot Noir
Silver Medal
2006 Sauvignon Blanc
Double Gold Medal!
2005 Sauvignon Blanc
Gold Medal!
2005 Glissando
2 Gold Medals!
2004 Glissando
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Crinella Glissando
Our Botrytis
Wine
Glissando, from our Marino Vineyard, is made in the French manner using botrytized Sauvignon Blanc grapes. It is a complex wine, having concentrated flavors of caramel, fig, honey,
and pineapple, with aromas of citrus and spice. Glissando finishes smoothly and lingers on the palate. Our Glissando is not quite as sweet as many botrytis wines, which broadens its
possibilities for food pairings beyond dessert.
The idea of trying for a botrytis wine came to us because half of Marino Vineyard is planted with Sauvignon Blanc Clone 01, originally found in the vines of Chateau D'Yquem, producer
of one the world's outstanding botrytis wines, and the climate of Marino Vineyard is not dissimilar from that of Bordeaux.
Each year, we reserve a
few acres at the regular harvest time, but letting the fruit stay on the vines in hopes that the grapes will catch
botrytis, the "noble rot," a fungus that
arrives, if it is going to arrive, very late in the season. It depends on
climatic conditions - just the right amount of fog and sun.
When the botrytis settles on the grape, it pierces the skin, but also prevents other organisms from entering the fruit. Once this occurs, the botrytis consumes both the sugars and
acids, thinning the grape skins so that the moisture within will evaporate. At the culmination of this process, the grape comes to develop a unique, concentrated flavor. But, we are
now in November, and the first winter rains, which can ruin the crop, are looming. The risk of losing the late harvest crop is always a possibility as we wait for the botrytis grapes
to reach their peak potential. When successful, the result seems worth the risk. After harvest, the botrytis grapes undergo a very complex fermentation process, under watchful guidance
of the winemaker.
It takes the fruit of one vine to make each glass of Glissando, a truly unique wine with a broad range of possibilities. As an aperitif, Glissando pairs well with many cheeses, both
mild and sharp. Fruit, cheese and crackers, served with Glissando, can be a feast in itself. You needn't go much beyond a few slices of prosciutto, figs, melon, and a baguette of
French bread to have a delightful afternoon picnic.
To end your meal, Glissando will pair well with any number of desserts, but seems to go best with those that are not too sweet, especially those with prominent fruit flavors.
Massimo Navarretta, master chef at Onotria, paired Glissando with a wonderful lemon sherbet and almond biscotti, an exciting combination. If you've eaten too much, and dessert
is out of the question, you might still sip a little glass of Glissando as you would a premium port.
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