VARIETY: 100% Nebbiolo – Michet subvariety

PRODUCTION ZONE: Monforte d’Alba – Castelletto subzone. The soil is Helvetian-stage (exposed seabed formed during the late Miocene, 10-12 million years ago) and medium-textured (silt, clay and sand in equal parts), rich in mineral salts and active lime.

TRAINING SYSTEM OF VINEYARD: Guyot-pruned freestanding espaliers, steep slope (40-50%), southeast exposure.

YIELD PER HECTARE: 45 hl.

VINIFICATION: Soft pressing of handpicked grapes followed by destemming. Fermentation in thermostatted tanks at controlled temperature (30-32°C). Maceration lasts 7-9 days followed by racking when fermentation is complete.

AGEING: Immediately following malolactic fermentation in December, the wine is transferred into barrels, some of them new and some used previously. The wine, decanted each year, is assembled after 24 months in cement vats where it stabilises naturally for another six. Bottling follows in the summer. The wine is bottle-aged for another six months prior to going on sale.

ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS: Garnet with ruby highlights. Intense perfume with distinct sensations of vanilla, toasted hazelnut, liquorice, tobacco and cinnamon. Distinctly fruity with notes of wild strawberry and blackberry. Full-flavoured, elegant, full-bodied and austere, reminiscent of olfactory sensations. Agreeable wood and fruit notes mingle perfectly.

PAIRINGS: Firmly-structured wine pairs well with main dishes of red or braised meat and game. It is an ideal match for cheese.

SERVING TEMPERATURE: 18°C