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Viinin Kuvailu
The Story
The wine Galatrona is a cru of Merlot made from the vineyard Galatrona planted in various phases during the 1990’s with low vigor bordeaux clones in the locality known as Feriale. The vineyard extends for 10 Ha with almost 50.000 plants grown on spurred cordon trellising.
Loam rich in clay, with shale, marl and sandstones.
Altitude 300 m asl. South-eastern exposure. Placed on the south-eastern borders of the Chianti Hills, in the DOC Val d’Arno di Sopra.
Clay helps keeping moisture in the soil, of which merlot has higher needs in the hot, dry, Tuscan summers. The combination of stones, shale and clay is among the elements that allow Galatrona to produce an elegant and full bodied wine even in what are considered minor vintages.
Since 2004 we have been abandoning traditional farming methods practising Natural/Sustainable farming: dry farming, no tillage, total grassing with mulch management, no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. Official Organic Certification was obtained from harvest 2016 (Petrolo olive oil is organic since the 90’s). To achieve natural balance in the vineyard, plant management is made by hand with targeted intervention. Heavier pruning and grape thinning is almost absent in the mature vineyards already balanced. Today extra management is only needed in the more challenging years only.
Vinification: Manual harvest in crates and further grape selection with sorting table. Natural vinification with native yeasts in cement vats. Manual soft and frequent pumping over. Skin maceration over 15 days.
Aging: Spontaneous malolactic fermentation in wood.
Maturation: In Frech oak barrique, a third new, for about 18 months. Constant batonnage of the fine lees for the first 6 months.
Vuosikerta 2019
Barolo & Barbaresco – Great Vintage
The Consorzio di Tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani, the association representing almost 500 wineries in Piedmont, Italy, is pleased to release the 2019 Barolo & Barbaresco harvest report. Unlike 2018, which was particularly precocious, 2019 has demonstrated to be a classic vintage, showing signs of good structure, ideal balance, and excellent aging ability. This news comes in anticipation of the Barolo & Barbaresco World Opening event in New York City, February 4th and 5th, 2020, where an array of vintages currently available on the market will be poured for press, trade, and consumers.
The growth year started slowly for Barolo & Barbaresco due to winter weather conditions pushing through February, followed by a period of rain and low temperatures until the middle of March. April brought continued wet conditions with more moderate temperatures and the opportunity for water to accumulate in the soil. Due to this water accumulation and a spike in temperatures during June, rapid plant growth occurred at the beginning of Summer. As a result, vineyard managers were required to pay close attention to protecting the plant from potential health issues. The hottest period in the season was recorded between the last week in June and the first in July, followed by days on which milder temperatures alternated with rain. A second heatwave was recorded at the end of July, ending in intense storms that did not damage the vines; the remainder of the summer season was marked by a mild climate, with regular, sporadic rainfall.
September began with a hailstorm that caused substantial damage in two localized areas on the hills around Alba, missing most of the Barolo & Barbaresco region. Harvest commenced for Nebbiolo during the second half of October and exhibited fruit with good sugar levels and a superb polyphenol profile. The wines can be expected to have brilliant color, excellent structure, and age ability. Overall, 2019 is a traditional vintage with high-quality production despite a slight drop in quantity in comparison to 2018.
“The 2019 harvest hasn’t been abundant, but the quality of grapes is well above average,” confirmed the Consorzio’s technical office, “As a result, we can expect great wines with distinctive character.”