Wine Information
Vinification
The harvest was on September 18 for Merlot and September 26 for Sangiovese. Fermentation occurred regularly at temperatures between 30 and 33°C. (86-91°F.). The wine was constantly pumped over the cap throughout fermentation and maceration, which lasted 26 days, somewhat less than the average period. The processes assured extraction of polyphenols of excellent quality that were powerful yet elegant. The wine were drained off, malolactic fermentation was induced with the use of a large percentage of barriques.
Maturation
After malolactic fermentation and assemblage on December 15, all the wine was placed in barrels of Allier oak, 40% of them new. The wine was bottled on June 5th 2009 and filled 7.000 bordeaux bottles, 350 magnums and 90 double magnums.
Vineyard profile
La Casuccia vineyard, which covers an area of 12.58 hectares (31.07 acres), was planted between 1964 and 1975. The altitudes range from 480 to 526 meters (1,575-1,726 ft.). The terrain is relatively uniform throughout the zone with soils consisting primarily of clayey-calcareous matter. The vines are trained in the vertical espalier system with pruning in the simple Guyot format on 6.79 hectares and open lyre on 5.79 hectares. The vineyard is divided into 17 parcels planted mostly in traditional varieties specified in the production code. Two of the parcels are planted in Merlot. This wine is not produced every year, but only in exceptional vintages and in limited quantities.
The first vintage was 1985.
Technical data
Total acidity: 5,50
Volatile acidity: 0,48
pH: 3,44
Alcohol: 13,88
Total dry extract: 32,20
U.V.280: 72,00
