BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO RISERVA - Denominazione di origine Controllata e Garantita VINTAGE 2016 – bottles produced: 9.600 of 750 ml The appellation RISERVA is given to the wine produced under exceptional growing conditions with carefully selected grapes in our oldest vineyards

100% sangiovese selected from Montalcino 

wine produced with selected sangiovese grapes from Brunello di Montalcino designated vineyards of approximately 7 hectares planted in 1975/1988/1998/2000 in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, south-east of Montalcino at an altitude that varies from from 150 (492 ft), 250 (820 ft) and 350 (1150 ft) meters a.s.l. The soil is of medium consistency, calcareous-clayey with presence of sands and marl, rich in minerals and skeleton.

the principle of sustainability leads to the best development of each single vine through practices respectful of the soil, of the grape variety and of the vintage.
The vines are trained to spurred cordon and guyot with a density from 3000 to 5700 plants per hectare.

winter and spring months were characterised by an alternation of slightly rainy and sunny days, providing cool and humid conditions during the spring time. The season progressed with a quite hot and dry summer with a significant diurnal temperature variation from the month of August. Sangiovese, a late ripening grape, benefited from the rainfalls of mid-September, from the following good weather conditions and the diurnal temperature variation. The phenolic ripening of the grapes allowed an excellent colour extraction with smooth and elegant tannins.

grapes are hand-picked by trained winery staff from the 25th of September. The grapes selected during the harvest are the result of a careful management of the vegetative growth of the vines so that they express the characteristics of the appellation at their best.

the collected grapes reach the cellar in a short time and are addressed to the destemming process with the use of dry ice that prevent the berries from oxidation and, by cooling down the temperatures, preserve their original characteristics. Cool temperatures are kept for 7/8 days and allow the development of indigenous yeasts. The alcoholic fermentation starts spontaneously at about 12°C (53°F) up to 27°C (80°F) and lasts 25/30 days with frequent pump-overs. The sugars converted into alcohol at a temperature of 20°-25°C (68/77°F). After draining off the skins, malolactic conversion occurs in stainless steel. The wine evolves in French and Slavonian oak vessels of various sizes for at least 30 months followed by a further refinement in bottle for a minimum of 16 months. 

Alcohol 15.5% Vol.; total acidity 5.60 g/l; dry extract 32.9 g/l; reduced sugar <1 g/l; pH 3.51