Description

ABOUT THE PRODUCER:
These stylishly packaged modern wines evoke the very essence of modern, easy drinking Italian wines. Inspired by the Gran Fondos of Italy, the popular cycling events that weave their way through the scenic, coastal and vineyard-dotted landscapes of Italy, these wines are a blend of indigenous and classic varietals. The Gran Fondo duo is produced for us in a state-of-the-art winery, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna. Meticulously blended by our buyer, Steve Daniel, they are superb examples of modern winemaking at its very best and offer wonderful value for money.

THE VINTAGE:
The 2022 vintage saw a very dry and mild winter, followed by a dry spring which did not replenish the soil water supplies in the region. The weather was extremely hot during the summer and the harvest period, leading to excellent concentration and ripeness in the grapes.

ABOUT THE VINEYARD:
The grapes are mainly sourced from the rich and fertile region of Emilia Romagna, one of Italy’s most prolific wine regions, located between Tuscany to the south and Lombardy and Veneto to the north. The region’s geographical diversity plays a significant part in creating the different terroirs found in the region. The River Po links the rolling hills and the Apennine peaks to the west of the region, flowing through the low lying plains, to the vineyards influenced by the coastal breezes of the Adriatic Sea to the east. Each terroir imparts its own characteristic to the resulting blend. The vines are cultivated sustainably.

THE WINEMAKING PROCESS:
The grapes were picked separately, crushed and cold soaked for a period of 12 hours. Fermentation lasted for five days with daily pump-overs to extract the flavours and colour from the skins. The wine was then transferred to concrete vats where it went through malolactic conversion, resulting in a softer texture in the resulting wine. The wine was made in an unoaked style to showcase the purity of fruit.

TASTING NOTE:
Aromas of crunchy red fruits are complemented by a plummy undertone in this easy drinking Italian blend. Softly textured with fine tannins and a moreish finish.

GRAPE VARIETY:
Sangiovese 80%, Longanesi 20%.