Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
The grapes grow in the Nizza zone at 240 metres above sea level, on south- and south-west-facing vines planted in 1976. The soils, locally called “Asian sands”, consist of clay-rich calcareous marl of marine sedimentary origin, with substantial silt and sand and abundant trace elements, particularly magnesium. Yields are kept very low.
Vinification
The grapes are harvested late by hand. Fermentation and 15 days of skin contact take place in 55-hectolitre oak vats at a controlled temperature of 27–30 °C, followed by malolactic fermentation.
Ageing
Half of the wine matures in 65-hectolitre French oak casks and half in barriques for one year. After bottling, it rests for at least another 18 months.
Tasting profile
Elegant.
Vintage notes
The 2020 season began with a mild winter and little precipitation, particularly little snow. Dry, sunny conditions in March and April initially pointed to an early harvest, but above-average rainfall in May and June slowed vine growth and replenished water reserves. These reserves proved essential during the hot, dry but not excessive summer. The season was generous in quantity, though thinning brought yields back into balance and improved grape quality. From mid-August through the end of September, sunny days and pronounced differences between daytime and night-time temperatures provided ideal conditions.
Label / history
Tenuta La Court, formerly the Aluffi estate, was acquired in 1995 and conceived as the “Chateaux del Nizza DOCG”. Built in the nineteenth century, the single property extends over more than 20 hectares across two hills. It is home to the La Court Art Park, a Michele Chiarlo project bringing wine and art together in a landscape recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The estate’s symbol is its cypress trees, planted on the hilltops in the mid-nineteenth century and celebrated by Giancarlo Ferraris.
