Grape blend: 100% Pinot Nero
Aged: partly (25%) in oak Tonneaux, 49 months on its lees in the bottle
Alcohol content: 12.55% vol
Acidity: 6.40 g/l
Residual sugars: 6.20 g/l
Part of the grapes (which are all Pinot Nero) fermented and aged in wood… and wood, even when used
delicately, is known to leave its “mark”. The bouquet is more variegated, because the wood highlights sweetness and body. 2017 was a hot year in the Oltrepò Pavese area, the bunches were few but very ripe. In order to maintain the freshness of the base wines, only the most “crisp” grapes, those from the cool valley floor, were chosen. The first phase of fermentation was carried out, as usual, slowly and at a low temperature (16 °C) in order to avoid loss of aroma; 25% of the grapes fermented in 500 litre tonneaux barrels. The two Pinot base wines were combined in spring, followed by the “presa di spuma” (= formation of bubbles) and 4 years of ageing on lees – in the bottle – during which the temperature never went above 16 °C. The wine is enriched with other, more mature aromas, of bread and biscuits.
Tasting – Colour: in the glass the shimmering wine is a strong yellow with golden highlights, full of fine little bubbles; it will be tinged with shades of amber as it ages. The nose: aromas of festive pastries, notes of dried fig and acacia honey, of toasted bread and butter, accompanied by a slightly spicy nuance from the wood. In the mouth: ageing in wood has given the wine a hint of vanilla, well-balanced with good freshness and considerable intensity in the aftertaste.