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:
The Valfresca vineyard was purchased in 2006 and replanted in 2007. The grapes come from the 2.5- hectare plot, which is reserved exclusively for this cuvée and is only produced in the best vintages. The vineyard is situated at 310 metres elevation, and faces south, gaining maximum sun exposure to enable maturation of the grapes. The soils are of calcareous origin; they are cool soils with good water retention properties and allow the vine’s root system to penetrate deeply into the soil in search of minerals and nutrients. The Guyot-trained vines are planted at 7,500 vines per hectare to ensure low yields. The vines are only treated with copper and sulphate if required, and the use of sexual confusion to eliminate predators also encourages biodiversity in the vineyard. The harvest takes place at the end of September, when the grapes have reached complete polyphenolic ripeness and are picked exclusively by hand.

WINEMAKING:
The grapes were destemmed and very gently pressed to preserve the fruit as whole berries. Fermentation was carried out with wild yeasts in stainless steel vats at controlled temperatures reaching a maximum of 24°C, lasting for approximately 20 days. During this period, gentle punch downs were carried out twice daily. The wine was transferred to oak, where it underwent malolactic conversion. Maturation took place in large 20 hl French oak vats for 18 months, followed by a further four years in bottle before release.

VINTAGE:
The 2015 summer saw warm and dry growing conditions throughout, resulting in an earlier harvest than usual. Rainfall during the last week of August, combined with a drop in temperatures, resulted in rich, concentrated grapes, with balancing acidity and intense aromas. 2015 is considered an important vintage, not a classic one for the Valpolicella area, but one of very high quality.

TASTING NOTE:
A Valpolicella Superiore of great finesse with aromas of juicy berry fruit, spice, floral notes and a hint of pepper. Agile due to its freshness and delicious minerality, with sweet tannins and a long, rich finish.

GRAPES:
Corvina 65%, Corvinone 15%, Oseleta 5%, Rondinella 15%.