Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
N°3 comes from 2.7619 ha in Corona, a hamlet of Mariano del Friuli in the province of Gorizia. The vineyards occupy cadastral parcels 1389/1, 1390/1 and 1362, each used in part. The calcareous mineral soil contains abundant iron sesquioxides but little organic matter or other nutrients. These conditions restrain vegetative growth and production while benefiting the grapes’ macro- and micro-components.
The south-facing rows run northwest–south. Plantings date from 1964 and 1980, with 4,630 vines/ha at 2.70 × 0.80 m spacing. The vines are trained to unilateral Guyot with four or five buds per cane. Light summer trimming balances foliage and bunches, and no fertilizer is applied. Rootstock is SO 4 Kl. 31 Op.; the cited clonal material is 337 Entav., 113, Lb4, Lb9 and Friuli Venezia Giulia Selection. Yield is 3,500 kg/ha, or 0.8 kg per vine.
Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Nero and Schioppettino, also identified as Ribolla Nera. Percentages are not specified. The blend combines the character of Cabernet Sauvignon, the elegance of Pinot Nero and the Friulian identity of Schioppettino.
Vinification
Harvest is exclusively manual and timed to physiological ripeness according to the maturation curve. Each variety is destemmed and softly pressed. A very long maceration accompanies primary fermentation on the skins, with refrigeration limiting the temperature to 25–27°C. Following racking, slow secondary fermentation continues for another 30 days in 225 L French-oak barriques. The wine then moves to stainless-steel tanks.
Ageing
Ageing continues for seven years in 2,000 L oak casks. The sensory description identifies these large vessels as Slavonian oak and connects them with musk, aromatic-wood and vanilla nuances. Bottling takes place at the end of spring. The bottles are packed in temperature-controlled storage chests holding 50 bottles and mature for a further 15 months.
Technical data
- Alcohol: 13.4% vol.
- Total acidity: 5.50 g/L
- SO₂: 60 mg/L
Tasting profile
The bouquet is full, fruit-driven, lightly herbaceous and notably elegant, recalling wild blackberry, blueberry and violet. Ageing contributes musk, aromatic woods and vanilla. Firm and structured, the palate is full, warm and rounded, with a velvety aromatic intensity. Long maceration and elevated fixed acidity give the wine the structure for extended ageing.
Label / history
Created as Fulvio Luca Bressan’s personal interpretation after years spent determining the balance among its three varieties, N°3 is presented as the Bressan family’s flagship blend—summed up by the phrase “what once was dream now is wine.”
