About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The vines grow on the hills of Colli Orientali, in the Montsclapade vineyard at Premariacco. The soils are alternating layers of marl (a limestone-rich clay) and sandstone. The vineyards sit on a gentle rise and are sheltered from cold northern winds by a mountain range. Vine density was increased several times over after the 1966 acquisition, and a specific weight was established for each bunch.
Vinification
Harvest is fairly late, because a slight degree of overripeness is needed for this wine. Picking is by hand. Each bunch is individually selected before destemming. The grapes are carefully selected and sorted, then pressed gently and slowly, with dry-ice cooling during pressing to preserve their aromatic qualities. Fermentation takes place in stainless-steel tanks at controlled temperature, followed by malolactic fermentation.
Ageing
The wine ages for 24 months, partly in new French oak barrels and partly in one-year-old barrels. After bottling it rests a further 6 months.
Label / history
Dorigo was founded in 1966 with the purchase of two vineyards: Ronc di Juri in Buttrio and Montsclapade in Premariacco. Neither was particularly well known at the time. The new owners combined the vineyards' traditions with modern technology, including machinery for tending the vines, new barriques for fermentation and reed mats for drying grapes. They assembled a team of oenologists.
