Vineyard
GRAPES USED / a wine obtained from Malvasia Istriana grapes from ancient vines that have grown in Friuli for several centuries. The region provides an ideal environment to best express the potential of the vine.
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.
TERRAIN / hill and foothill area, soil composed of marl and sandstone with a predominantly clayey component.
TRAINING SYSTEM / double bending canes (called cappuccina). Traditional training techniques in the Friuli hills, optimised for quality production through 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 third ten days in September with selection of the best grapes in the field and fast transfer to the cellar.
VINFICATION METHOD / gentle pressing at low temperature under immobile covering to protect the potential quality of the grapes from oxidisation followed by brief cold maceration. Low temperature fermentation (15-18 °C) to help develop and preserve the most characteristic aromas of this grape variety.
MATURATING AGEING / first in a “sur lies” tank and in the bottle, stored horizontally in our sixteenth century underground estate cellar for about four weeks after bottling.
Wine
SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS / in the large Malvasia wine family, the position held by the Istrian variety is surely the most prestigious, due to its high quality production. This wine has a straw yellow colour with greenish undertones and its expansive bouquet is reminiscent of jasmine and ripe fruit. Slightly aromatic, refined and dry.
FOOD AND WINE PAIRINGS / an excellent first course wine (for pasta and risotti) to be served with vegetable-based sauces and seafood. A superb accompaniment to seafood, crustacean and salted fish entrées. Also excellent served as an aperitif.
LONGEVITY / reaches maximum expression of the vine in the first two years and then develops elegantly for a period that can easily exceed five years in the bottle.
SERVICE / best served chilled (12 °C).