2021 Diletta Tonello - Lessini Durello Spumante io Teti Brut (750ml)

The Tonello family has farmed in the Monti Lessini since the 1930s, though it was Diletta's father, Antonio, who began estate bottling in 1985, focusing on the native Durella and Garganega grapes. Diletta studied agronomy and later earned a doctorate in enology before joining the family winery, bringing a wave of innovation that has since made her one of the region's leading voices, including serving as president of the local protection consortium. She has converted the estate's roughly ten to twelve hectares in Montorso Vicentino to organic farming, working with old pergola-trained vines planted on the area's distinctive volcanic clay soils.

Io Teti is named for a nymph from Greek mythology, one of several wines Diletta has named after mythological women tied to the elements. Made entirely from Durella, the grapes are pressed whole and fermented in stainless steel at controlled temperature. The base wine is assembled over winter, then undergoes a second fermentation in bottle following the classic method, resting on its lees for 36 months before disgorgement and a further three months of rest ahead of release.

The wine pours a pale straw yellow with fine, persistent bubbles and a creamy mousse. Aromas of toasted bread and citrus lead into a saline, mineral-driven palate with a clean, precise finish. It's an excellent match for oysters and other raw shellfish.