Description

PRODUCER:
Roccolo Grassi was established in 1996 by Bruno Sartori and his two children, Francesca and Marco. Based in Veneto, they produce wines of unique character and strong personality, which are expressive of their origins. Winemaker Marco Sartori is one of the hottest talents in the region. His philosophy is very simple; yields in the vineyard are significantly reduced to obtain a fabulous fruit concentration. The 15 hectares of vineyard are meticulously cultivated, and minimal intervention takes place in the winery to allow the characteristics of each of the crus to be fully expressed. The result is a collection of world class wines distinguished by their pure elegance.

VINEYARD:
This wine is made from 40 year old vines grown in a four hectare area. The vineyard is planted with a south-easterly aspect and sits at an altitude of 200 to 250 metres above sea-level. The soil type is made up of volcanic and basaltic components, which impart wonderful mineral complexity to the wine. The vines are trained on a pergola system and are planted at a density of 3,000 vines per hectare. Harvest took place at the end of September.

WINEMAKING:
The grapes were picked when they were super ripe and then dried on slatted shelves in a humidity and temperature-controlled area of the winery for five to six months. The grapes were cold macerated for six to seven days, which takes place naturally, as the temperatures outside are low during February. The grapes were crushed, and the temperature was increased to 22 to 25°C to enable fermentation to take place. This lasted for 20 to 30 days, during which time the cap was punched down and pumped over daily. Fermentation was completed in a barrel, where it was aged for 18 months in a mixture of new and old French barrels. The wine then spent a further 24 months in the bottle before release. This wine was made in limited quantities.

TASTING NOTE:
This sweet, red wine shows great finesse and aromatic complexity. Notes of ripe plums, red berries and cocoa are accompanied by a jammy, spicy bouquet with hints of chocolate. Rich and complex, with an underlying minerality on the palate, the sweetness is beautifully balanced.

GRAPES:
Corvina 60%, Corvinone 15%, Croatina 10%, Rondinella 15%.