Valpolicella DOC 2017 – Roccolo Grassi

The grapes to produce Valpolicella DOC Roccolo Grassi were hand-harvested during the first week of October once the grapes had reached full phenolic maturity. 50% of the wine was made from fresh grapes and 50% from grapes which had been slightly dried on racks, for 20 days. The Valpolicella DOC Roccolo Grassi grapes were then fermented in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures of 25 to 28°C with a maceration lasting between 20 to 30 days. During which time, the cap was pumped over and punched down daily. Natural malolactic fermentation took place in wood. Each parcel was aged for 20 months in oak in either Slavonian oak barrels or French barriques, of which 30% were new oak. The cuvées were then blended before being bottled aged for 10 months prior to release.

An estate comprising 12 hectares of vineyard, with eight hectares designated for the Valpolicella grapes. The south easterly facing vineyard sits at 200 to 250 metres above sea level atop a volcanic basaltic soil structure. Trained to the Guyot pruning method, the 10 year old vines are planted at a density of 7,500 vines per hectare.