A springtime picnic with Rosso di Montalcino
The Rosso di Montalcino 2008 from Casato Prime Donne is perfect for welcoming the springtime first relaxing moments outdoors
Rosso di Montalcino 2008 - Casato Prime Donne
After months of rain and cold we all wish to take off our winter clothes and spend a few hours outside with an excellent wine and a good book.
The Rosso di Montalcino 2008 from Casato Prime Donne has a great intensity of taste typical of those wine produced on the Brunello hilltop, and at the same time is extremely pleasant and drinkable.
The Rosso in fact stays only one year in barrel, which is actually less than half the length of the Brunello ageing, this makes it more easily understandable and more immediate in its pleasantness.
In Montalcino, 2008 was a 4 star harvest for many aspects apt for the production of wines for short ageing in barrel.
This is the first Rosso di Montalcino by Valérie Lavigne, Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s new winemaker.
An important touch comes from Barbara Magnani the cellar master, whose importance and authoritativeness have grown.
Casato Prime Donne is the first winery in Italy with an all female staff. Here the presence of tonneaux and barrels of various dimensions and of oak of various origins, in climatized rooms at around 18°C, enables us to choose the best container for each vintage and for every phase of the ageing of the wines.
2008 had a dry winter, the spring was very rainy with violent rainfalls, and the summer was very hot with little difference between the minimum and maximum values of temperatures. The temperatures did decrease rapidly half way through September.
The Sangiovese harvest (the same grapes as for Brunello) took place from September 16th to October 20th. The grapes were hand picked and reached the winery in 20Kg crates. To begin with dry ice was used to cool the grapes; mid September on the other hand we had to turn on the heating system for the vats so as to facilitate the beginning of the fermentation. Vinification: in stainless steel temperature controlled vats for 16/18 days. The peculiarity of this fermentation was that it was quick to begin and very hot, which Barbara Magnani curbed using the cooling system.
Quantity produced: 23.000 bottles. Colour: very intense ruby red. Aroma: complex, intense, with fragrant elements and clear notes of wood berries and spices. Taste: intense, full, persistent, the evident richness in tannins is well balanced by the alcohol Analysis: alcohol 13,5 %Vol.; Tot. Ac. 5 g/l; Vol. Ac. 0.53 mg/l; Extract 28 g/l; SO² Tot 102 mg/l. Matching dishes: noble meats, aged cheeses, dishes with little fat but rich in flavour. Way of serving: Room temperature (18-20°C), use tulip shaped crystal wine goblets. Home ageing: 7/8 years after the harvest. Keep the bottles lying down in a cool and dark place.