Vineyard

GRAPES USED / Wine produced from 100% Friulano grapes, as befits an ancient indigenous Friuli vine, to preserve all its original and traditional characteristics

POSITION / the hills of the Sottomonte Estate in the municipality of Buttrio (Udine), with their fantastic landscape, provide an ideal wine country for excellent wine making. The C.D.O. (controlled denomination of origin) area is the Friuli Colli Orientali (Eastern Hills of Friuli). Exposure is south – southeast.

TERRAIN / hill and foothill area, soil composed of marl and sandstone with a predominantly clayey component.

TRAINING SYSTEM / double bending canes (called cappuccina). A traditional training technique in Friuli, optimised by our winery’s methods for small but high quality production using reduced vine vigour and a lower number of buds.

PHYTOSANITARY CROP PROTECTION / low environmental impact focussing on traditional products with a short persistence, distributed according to the agroalimentary programme for crop protection.

Cellar

HARVESTING / manual harvesting by a qualified, suitably trained workforce from the second half of September with selection of the best grapes in the field and fast transfer to the cellar.

VINIFICATION METHOD / white wine fermentation (without skins) with gentle pressing at low temperature under immobile covering to protect the potential quality of the grapes from oxidisation. Low temperature fermentation (15–18°C) to help develop and preserve the most characteristic aromas of this grape variety.

MATURATION AND AGEING / first in a “sur lies” tank and then in the bottle, stored horizontally in our sixteenth century underground cellar for at least four weeks prior to labelling

Wine

SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS / straw yellow colour with hints of green. Fine and delicate, with a bouquet suggesting flowers and fruit. This wine has a long lasting and persistent flavour with a characteristic almond aftertaste. The elegant, slightly bitter flavour and fine aroma, typical of this wine, make it an excellent drinking wine. The aftertaste is long and persistent.

FOOD AND WINE PAIRINGS / It is a traditional Friulian white wine and is superb as an aperitif. It pairs well with hors d’oeuvres, soups, seafood dishes and white meat. An ideal accompaniment to San Daniele ham.

LONGEVITY / reaches maximum expression of the vine in the first two years and can easily exceed four years in the bottle.

SERVICE / best served chilled (12°C).