Questo vino

Vineyard and terroir

The fruit comes from the “Bellovedere” vineyard in the municipality of Spoltore. The site is 200 m above sea level, with south and southwest exposures and medium-textured clay soils. The vines are 46 years old on average.

Vinification

The grapes are harvested by hand in late October, after reaching phenolic ripeness and a good balance between sugar and acidity. Maceration and fermentation last 30 days in open, cone-shaped Slavonian oak vats. Malolactic fermentation takes place partly in barriques and tonneaux. Blending and bottling are timed to the most favourable phases of the moon, and the wine is bottled without filtration.

Ageing

The wine matures for 18 months in the Slavonian oak vats used for fermentation, followed by nine months in barriques and tonneaux and additional time in concrete vats. It is bottled one year before release.

Tasting profile

Rich and concentrated, with good structure.

Vintage notes

The winter of 2019 was mild and dry, followed by a very cold spring and a rainy May. The rain replenished the soils ahead of the summer drought typical of Abruzzo, where vines are mostly grown without irrigation. Summer was very warm, particularly in July, but sufficient rainfall supported healthy berry growth and helped the vines recover from the delayed ripening caused by May’s cool weather. Bright, sunny days and moderate temperatures in September allowed early-ripening varieties to be harvested while Montepulciano continued towards an ideal balance of acidity, sugar and phenolics. Yields were considerably lower than in the previous year, but grape quality was excellent.