Le Cupole 2012

After a second consecutive rainless winter, in spring of 2012 the vineyards started their efforts very slowly showing tiredness as if the plants hadn’t recovered from the heat of 2011 and were short of resources as they were going about developing their new canopy. There were thin shoots and scarce leafage. In June flowering happened evenly enough but slowly. It became clear that the plants would continue to hold back their energy as they traversed every stage of development; and that that would also avoid jumpiness and blocking. The berries’ reddening happened evenly and very slowly.

Vineyard age: 22 years

Vineyard density: 10,000 vines per Ha

Vineyard altitude: 400 – 600m a.s.l.

Yield per hectare: 30 Hl/Ha

Fertilization: None

Spraying: copper, clay, propoli, grapefruit seed extract

Harvest: picked starting September 28th

Vinification: 40 separate pickings and vinifications, total destemming, automatic selection of single berries by density in sugary solution, alcoholic fermentation in 40-Hl steel tanks for 15 days, 3 days on the lees before taking the wine off the skins. 2 pumpings-over and 3 sinking of skins daily.

Malolactic Fermentation: 1/3 in contact with skins before racking and 2/3 in 2nd, 3rd and 4th passage French oak barriques

Aging: 8 months in 2nd, 3rd and 4th passage French oak barriques; 10 months in cement

Bottling: March 2014

Production: 55,000 bottles