BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO – Denominazione di origine Controllata e Garantita VINTAGE 2012 – bottles produced: 26.000 of 750 ml 

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 150 (492 ft) to 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.

after a cold winter with frequent snowfalls, which encouraged the accumulation of water in the aquifers, the spring was relatively warm. Summer temperatures were very high with lack of precipitation. Sangiovese, has benefited from the rainfalls that came in September and the diurnal temperature variation that favoured the ripening of the grape, developing smaller berries but with a high concentration of aromatic characteristics.

grapes are hand-picked by trained winery staff from the 19th 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 Slavonian and French oak vessels of various sizes for a minimum of 24 months followed by a further refinement in bottle for a minimum of 6 months.

Alcohol: 15% Vol.; total acidity 5.25 g/l; dry extract 31.6 g/l: reduced sugar <1 g/l; pH 3.49