About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
Cabernet Sauvignon grows mainly in the Via Bolgherese vineyard at 56 m above sea level. Its deep, well-drained soils consist of coarse red sand with a clay layer extending to a depth of 1.2 m. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a small portion of the Cabernet Sauvignon come from Le Sondraie, at 26 m, where loose sand and clay soils contain high levels of magnesium and iron.
Cool sea breezes moderate the hot Tuscan sun, while the hills surrounding the valley shelter the vines from northerly winds.
Vinification
The grapes are harvested by hand into 15 kg boxes, sorted, destemmed and pressed. The red varieties are fermented separately. Maceration and fermentation take place in stainless-steel tanks for 12–15 days at controlled temperatures of 28–30 °C. Malolactic fermentation is completed in oak barrels in November, and the separate lots are then blended.
Ageing
The wine matures for 18 months in 225 L barrels made from French Allier oak, 50% of which are new, followed by nine months in bottle.
Tasting profile
Vibrant and fruit-forward, with a strong personality. The 2016 vintage has clearly defined varietal character and good structure.
Vintage notes
The 2016 season was among the earliest recorded in Bolgheri. A fairly mild winter was followed by a rainy spring, which supported even bud development. Summer was dry, while rain in early September allowed the grapes to ripen fully. Before harvest, pronounced differences between daytime and nighttime temperatures encouraged phenolic ripeness while preserving higher acidity.
Label / history
Production amounted to 44,000 bottles in 2016, compared with 80,000 bottles in 2013.
