GRATTAMACCO
THE WINE IS PRODUCED FROM VINEYARDS LOCATED BETWEEN 100 AND 200 M ABOVE SEA LEVEL. THE SOIL IS CHARACTERIZED BY SANDY QUARTZ AND WHITE CLAYS MIXED WITH MARLY LIMESTONE FLYSCH. WINEGROWING PRACTICES ARE BASED ON METHODS AND PRINCIPLES THAT ARE TOTALLY RESPECTFUL OF THE ENVIRONMENT, THUS ALLOWING FOR SPONTANEOUS PRODUCTIVE BALANCE WITH LOW YIELDS PER HECTARE. GRAPES ARE HAND-PICKED AND CAREFULLY SELECTED FROM VINEYARDS WITH AN AVERAGE AGE OF 25 YEARS, AMONG THE OLDEST IN THE APPELLATION.
La vinificazione si svolge in piccoli tinelli di rovere aperti, con gentili follature manuali ed un lento rilascio dei soli tannini nobili. L’affinamento del vino prosegue per almeno 18 mesi in barriques. Il terroir salino e l’approccio artigianale in cantina sono elementi fondanti del carattere distintivo del Grattamacco Rosso, maggiormente esaltato dalla presenza del Sangiovese nel blend, nel rispetto della tradizione toscana.
Vintage 2008
A VINTAGE OF ANCIENT FLAVOURS, OFFSPRING OF “BYGONE” WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT ARE NOW INCREASINGLY RARE, A WINE IN WHICH CRISPNESS AND ELEGANCE GIFT EXCITEMENT AND NOSTALGIA.
The Climate
A cool, rainy winter ushered in the 2008 season, but budbreak occurred on schedule. Spring rains during flowering delayed fruit-set and therefore reduced the final crop. Intense heat characterised summer, with almost no rainfall through the initial third of September. Nonetheless, veraison and ripening proceeded normally, with the cool nights necessary for good development of aromas and pigmentation.
Vinification
A wine produced from a vineyard of 10 hectares at 100 m asl, where the soil is characterized by calcareous sandstone, marl and calcareous flysch mixed to clay and calcareous clay, while the climate is of a temperate Mediterranean type. There are 4500 to 6000 vines per hectare with a yield of about 7 tons of grapes per hectare. Vines are trained to Cordone Speronato and Guyot. Harvesting is done manually. The average age of the vines is 20 years. Vinification in open truncated cone-shaped oak vats for the alcoholic fermentation. Malolactic fermentation in barrique. Ages for 18 months in barrique, in first and second passage. Bottle refinement 12 months minimum.
Luca Marrone, Chief Winemaker
Composition
65% Cabernet Sauvignon
20% Merlot
15% Sangiovese
Appearance
Brillant ruby red
Alcohol
14%
