VINEYARDS OF PROVENANCE Three Merlot vineyards planted an average of 31 years ago located in the municipalities of Cazzago San Martino and Passirano.
HARVEST PERIOD 15 September 2009..
AVERAGE YIELD PER HECTARE 8,700 kilograms of grapes, equivalent to 4,960 litres of wine (must-to-fruit ratio 57%).
VINIFICATION The Merlot grapes from the three best vineyards are picked by hand, using small cases, and then quickly graded and chilled. Each bunch is selected by expert cellar staff before being transported over the maceration vat. Destemming causes the berries to fall into the vat from above by gravity. This avoids the traditional pumping systems that would produce unwanted herbaceous aromas. At the 2009 harvest, alcoholic fermentation and maceration took 21 days, with careful monitoring of temperature and punch-downs. Pump-overs were performed daily using a pair of lift tanks in which the wine, drawn off from the bottom of the vat, is transferred by gravity. The wine is lifted by the flying tanks and poured into the high-capacity vat to submerge the cap. There is no more natural or effective way of delicately extracting colour and tannins. The still-warm wine is drawn into 65%-new small oak casks from selected wood seasoned for at least three years. Maturation lasts for a total of 20 months, after which the wine is bottled naturally by gravity flow. Innovative bottling systems ensure that the wine is not subjected to oxidative stress or disturbance, and that no further sulphites are added. Integrity and healthfulness are guaranteed. Finally, every bottle is given an individual marking to ensure its traceability.
BOTTLING 29 July 2011.
BOTTLE AGEING Four years and nine months.
DATA AT BOTTLING Alcohol 13.5% Vol.; pH 3.45; Total Acidity 4.80 grams/litre; Volatile Acidity 0.45 grams/litre.
SULPHITES Total Sulphur Dioxide less than 47 milligrams/litre (maximum legal limit: 150 milligrams/litre).