Camilleri Wines bring a new exciting addition to their increasing portfolio of wines – gwl – a new range of wines that highlight the winery’s confidence in the viticultural richness and diversity of Gozo.
Harvested from family vineyards in Gozo, gwl consists of a Chardonnay and a Syrah and marks another first for Camilleri Wines, as it is their first brand that has been fully grown and harvested in Gozo.
“We wanted to celebrate what Gozo is capable of producing and we believe that gwl reflects the true character of our sister island,” stated Louie Camilleri, general manager of Camilleri Wines. “Indeed, we are proud to announce that this new range is of such high quality that if a classification system for Maltese wines were in place, gwl would be classified as a DOK Gozo.”
“We regard this new product more than just a new addition to our increasing portfolio of wines. It is a vote of confidence in what Gozo is capable of producing and the high level achieved in the production of gwl is testimony to this,” added Mr Camilleri.
“This new wine gwl from Gozo is a classic case that shows what significant differences the terroir (soil) makes to the style of wine,” explained Camilleri Wines’ Wine Adviser Josef Bonello. “One of the main factors is that being the smaller island and lying further north than Malta the mean temperature of Gozo is always slightly lower than that of Malta, hence the maturation rhythm of the fruit is slower. The presence of many hills and valleys in Gozo is another geographical factor that affects the quality of the grape. These valleys act as channels for cool breezes that drift in from the surrounding Mediterranean Sea, contributing to cooler conditions. The use of mist nets, which many Gozitan growers use to protect the ripe berries from birds with a sweet tooth, create a light shade over the vines, once more dropping the temperature lightly, again delaying fruit maturation,” Mr Bonello said.
The name “gwl” (pronounced gôl) is derived from one of the very first nicknames given to Gozo by the Phoenicians. It is the same name attributed to the ancient Phoenician battleships as seen on an ancient coin, which is also reproduced on the bottles’ labels. The Phoenicians had given Gozo the name gwl because when approaching the island from out at sea, Gozo looked like one of their battleships. An outline map of Gozo is transposed on the labels and serves as a backdrop to the reproduced Phoenician coin.
The gwl Chardonnay offers a bouquet laden with a rich pear and peach fruitiness on the nose, while its palate is very easy drinking kept fresh by a light citric tone. The gwl Syrah on the other hand has an open fruitiness on the nose that is very welcoming, with hints of new leather towards the end. Its palate shows an equally generous basket of forest fruit with tannins of medium presence giving this wine a very gratifying character. These Gozo-grown wines kindle images of a laid back afternoon in the natural beauty of this remarkable island of Gozo.