Questo vino
Vineyard and terroir
The Riserva designation is reserved for exceptional growing seasons and wine made from carefully selected fruit from the estate’s oldest vineyards. The 2019 comes from selected Sangiovese grown across approximately 7 hectares registered for Brunello di Montalcino in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, south-east of Montalcino. The vineyards were planted in 1975, 1988, 1998 and 2000 at elevations ranging from approximately 150 to 350 metres above sea level.
The soils are medium-textured and calcareous-clayey, with sand and marl and abundant minerals and stony material. The vines are trained to both spurred cordon and Guyot at densities of 3,000–5,700 plants per hectare. Viticulture follows a sustainability principle, adapting farming practices to the soil, grape variety and conditions of each growing season.
Grapes
100% Sangiovese selected in Montalcino.
Vinification
The hand-picked grapes reach the cellar quickly. Dry ice cools the fruit, limits oxidation and helps preserve its original character before destemming. Low temperatures are maintained for 7–8 days, allowing indigenous yeasts to develop. Alcoholic fermentation begins spontaneously at approximately 12°C, rises to no more than 27°C and lasts 25–30 days with frequent pump-overs. Sugar conversion proceeds at 20–25°C. After the wine is drained from the skins, malolactic conversion takes place in stainless-steel vats.
Ageing
The wine matures for at least 30 months in French and Slavonian oak vessels of various sizes, followed by a minimum of 16 months in bottle.
Technical data
For the 2019 vintage: 15.5% alcohol by volume; total acidity 5.97 g/L; pH 3.51; reducing sugars below 1 g/L. The Italian and English versions give different dry-extract figures: 34.2 g/L and 32.4 g/L respectively. Production comprised 10,400 bottles of 750 ml and 500 magnums of 1,500 ml.
Vintage notes
Winter 2018/2019 was slightly warmer than the seasonal average. Rain from the second half of January into early spring slowed vegetative development. Summer avoided excessive heat peaks, while water reserves accumulated during the preceding months supported slow, even ripening. Harvest began on 25 September and was carried out manually by trained estate staff, with the grapes selected during picking.
