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, these wines are superb examples of modern winemaking at its very best and offer wonderful value for money.

THE VINTAGE:
The 2022/2023 winter was mild, with below average rainfall in the northern part of Italy. Spring temperatures were above-average resulting in premature budbreak; however, May was abnormally rainy which caused a reduced fruit-set and increased disease pressure. Part of the vineyard was flooded for several days during mid- May. A dry and warm June and July helped to recover the delay and contained the risks of mildew. A dry and unusually warm August, September and first half of October saved the vintage.

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%.