Growing Conditions
***Soil***: The vineyards are planted on plots of land with different and composite morphological characteristics, as well as with a strong presence of limestone. These areas are also rich in rocks and rather rich in clay and are located at an altitude between 100 and 300 meters above sea level, facing South/ South-West.
***Vine training***: Cordon spur system
***Planting density***: From 5.500 to 6.250 vines/Ha
***Climate***: Definitely a good vintage. Autumn and winter were marked by temperatures above the seasonal average. We had a remarkable water supply due to the rains fallen in November, January and especially in February, when the cold set in. March was also characterized by below average seasonal temperatures and frequent rains so that the the spring started in late April. These weather conditions caused a delay of the budding: until mid-June temperatures were below the average making the plants grow slowly and gradually. This climatic trend changed at the end of the month and the temperatures rose to the highest peaks in July. Some sporadic night rains, fallen in late July, helped the plants to grow and enriched the replenishment of water reserves in the ground. The fruit setting was perfect with berries well distributed on the bunches. The alternating, high and low, temperatures between night and day created an optimal condition from the beginning of veraison until the complete ripening of the grapes. The night breezes brought freshness to the grapes and thus favored the perfumes, present in musts, too. During late August and September the weather was outstanding and the grapes arrived into the cellar ripe, crispy and above all healthy.
Harvest
The hand picking of the grapes started in mid September with the Cabernet Sauvignon, which was brought into the cellar perfectly ripe and with a rather low alcohol content. The Sangiovese was harvested between the end of September and the first days of October.
Winemaking
A very gentle crushing and de-stemming of the grapes was followed by fermentation in temperature controlled steel vats (between 30° - 31° C, without the addition of yeast). The maceration on the skins lasted 9 to 12 days for Cabernet Sauvignon and about 15 to 18 days for Sangiovese. It was followed by pumpovers of the musts and délestages in order to soften the wine tannins. The secondary fermentation (Malolactic fermentation) also took place in steel vats.
Aging
After the malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged for 12 months in oak barrels previously used for Guidalberto and Sassicaia. It is released on the market after
three months in the bottle.
