CAIAROSSA IGT Toscana

Grapes - Principally Cabernet Franc (25%), Merlot (25%), Sangiovese (16%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (14%). Small quantities of Petit Verdot (8%), Syrah (6%) and Alicante (7%).

Soil composition - Partially calcareous clay, and partially ferric sand with high stone content. Altitude 150/250 m above sea level, strong slopes.

Training system - Cordon trained, spur pruned

Yield - between 4 and 4,5 tonnes of grapes, output in wine around 30-35 hectoliters

Harvest - by hand, in September and October

Selection of grapes - first in the vineyard, afterwards on the sorting table

Cultivation  -  Biodynamic; Low dosage of copper and sulphur. Herbal infusions; nettle, willow, chamomile and horsetail. Limited fertization with biodynamic preparations.

Winemaking - Maceration on the skins: Between 20 and 30 days, with first a few days of cold maceration. Alcoholic fermentation: in wooden casks of 50 hl (only indigenous yeast) and concrete tanks. Two pumping-over for about 9-12 days, then once a day for 4 to 7 days, then once every two days for a very short time. Malolactic fermentation: mostly in tanks and some in barrels.

Ageing - All the different plots of wineyard and the different varietals, vinified separately, are going after the malo into barrels of different sizes and ages, according to their own characteristics. The mean of aging time is about 16 months into barres, but it can go from 11 months for the most delicate grapes (es. Alicante) until 20 months for the most powerful (es. Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon). The blend is made only when every single plots have completed there own aging in wood.

Vintage 2007 - Start of the vegetation growth in late March, beginning of April, which is slightly earlier than usual. Then an ideal weather for optimum development of foliage; temperature slightly above average and frequent rainfall the end of May. The three summer months were drier allowing us to grow perfect healthy grapes. Maturation conditions are very close to 2004 with an existing but limited water stress, leading to a perfect phenolic maturity for each variety.

Alcohol - 14,5 % 

Production – 38.000 bottles