Petra

Country: Tuscany - Italy

Region: Maremma Tuscany

This 300 hectare estate, created by the Moretti family of Bellavista fame, is situated in Suvereto in the Val di Cornia. When Vittorio Moretti, together with his daughter Francesca, set out in search of a property in the Maremma in 1997, they asked Attilio Scienza, Italy’s most celebrated viticultural professor and consultant, to help them find the best spot. Scienza came up with Petra (the name is derived from the Latin for stone, or ‘pietra’ in Italian’), which is southeast of Bolgheri and inland from the sea. The estate now has 97 hectares of vineyard, which surround a splendid modernist winery built by the Swiss architect, Mario Botta.

Consultant Pascal Chatonnet (who, among other properties, works at Vega Sicilia) and newly appointed estate manager, Paolo Trappolini (ex of Avignonesi, when the Falvo family were still involved), are working to ensure that the quality of fruit arriving in the winery is being captured in the finished wines.

Petra Collection

Zingari €14.90

The wise use of some plots of land owned by Petra results in a fresh, easy-to-drink wine of quality reflecting the soil in which the vines grow. The vineyards are located at the foot of the hills, some in the Suvereto and some in Riotorto area. The soil is predominantly clay and sand, the reason for the choice of this variety that gives a light, aromatic wine. The grapes are picked by hand from late August onwards and, to bring out their fruity nature, are left to macerate for just 7 to 10 days.

Zingari was born as an experimental vineyard to test the attitude of its varietals: Syrah, Merlot, Sangiovese and Petit Verdot.
The wine traces its roots to an ancient water spring that was a stop-over for all those pilgrims and wayfarers who were travelling along the Aurelia Street, hence the name Zingari (Gipsies), and could seek refreshment by resting nearby its crystal clear waters.

Sensory features: A well of dark cherry, black currant and blackberry fruit makes this red sumptuous and inviting. Fresh earth, thyme and rosemary accents add depth. A mineral element emerges on the long finish and showing fine balance overall.

Technical Notes

Grape varieties: 25% Syrah, 25% Merlot, 25% Sangiovese & 25% Petit Verdot

Soil: Clay & sand

Alcohol content: 13.5%

Bottle size: 750ml

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Alto Sangiovese Price € 38.00

Sensory features: The particular concentration of colour is expressed in a brilliant, powerful ruby red. The bouquet combines earthy and forest floor hints with precise jam, cocoa and ripe cherry notes. In the mouth the substantial mineral traces are apparent, as is the notable tannic texture, well balanced by the sweetness of the alcohol. An enveloping wine with good structure whose aromatic complexity will undoubtedly expand with additional ageing in the bottle.

Grape variety: 100% Sangiovese

Vineyards: Alto represents one of the most marked expressions of the power of a land, the Val di Cornia, whose geological and microclimatic features are clearly expressed through the Sangiovese varietal, which has made Tuscany its adopted home.

In this corner of the Tyrrhenian Coast, Sangiovese has particular complexity and tannic vigour, combining evident mineral traces with a level of acidity that is less marked than is normally the case in wines produced in inland areas. In this respect Alto is the young interpreter of an experimental study that intends to promote the distinctive expressive power of clayey soils and perfect grape maturity.

The Sangiovese grapes are gathered by hand towards the end of September, taking particular care to preserve the integrity of the fruits. After a painstaking selection process on the sorting tables, vinification takes place in 10,000-litre truncated cone shaped oak vats.

Vinification: Alcoholic fermentation is preceded by a cold pre- fermentation maceration phase designed to exalt the typical aroma of the varietal. The long maceration process, aimed at strengthening the ageing capacity, is followed by at least 18 months of ageing, ideally in 600-litre demi-muid containers. The assemblage and a light filtration process are followed by bottling, the wine resting in the bottles for at least 8 months before being marketed.

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Quercegobbe Merlot Price €38.00

Sensory features: Intense ruby-red in colour. Rich aromas of red fruits with subtle notes of spice, balsamic traces and eucalyptus. Extremely elegant with a pleasant mineral flavour, fine tannins and an enduring bouquet. Body, alcohol content and acidity are all well balanced. Persistent, vibrant and harmonious on the finish.

Grape variety: 100% Merlot

Vineyards: Quercegobbe translates as ‘hunchback oak‘ named after the vineyard in which the grapes are grown. The vines were planted in 1997 close to the cellar in San Lorenzo, on the edge of the Mediterranean maquis, on a hillside facing the sea. It is an ideal position for Merlot as it is well-ventilated. The soil is very similar to the clays of Pomerol, where Merlot thrives. The soil is rich in manganese and metals, brought here by erosion and deposits from the nearby Metalliferous Hills.

Vintage information: The first ten days of September were very hot, slowing down the maturation of tannins. Light rain mid-month moderated the temperature, giving good day/night temperature variation until the end of October. Harvest of the grapes was later than usual, starting in early October.

Vinification: The grapes were harvested in the coolest hours of the day and the wine was left to ferment in conical wooden vats at a controlled temperature. At the end of the process, it was aged for 15 months, first in new 600-litre demi-muids and then in barriques. Complete malolactic fermentation took place during this period. The wine continued to age for a further 10 months in bottle before release.

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Potenti Cabernet Sauvignon Price € 38.00

Sensory features: Intense purple red colour. The nose is austere and elegant, with a wide range of aromas, redcurrant and dark fruit notes and elegant balsamic nuances. Clean and pleasantly fresh tannins in the mouth with an enjoyable presence of red fruits and balanced spiciness in the finish. Full bodied and lingering, it is vigorous and elegant. The evolution of the ageing process is steady and exponential, the years in the cellar guaranteeing its quality growth.

Grape variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Vineyards:

In the vineyard from which Potenti originates, the balance between the clayey and gravelly fractions of the soil, together with the good slope of the land, naturally makes the best possible use of the natural water resources. And that’s not all: the sea breezes that continuously blow over this hill close to the coast balance the natural ripening process of the grapes, fostering, even at this very early stage, a unique relationship of stability between the acidic components and the ugary substances in the grapes.

Vinification:

The combination of these components gives the wine striking, fresh balance, notable ageing capacity and, finally, remarkable elegance and sensory originality. Harvested in October, the Cabernet sauvignon grapes are left to macerate, and then to ferment, in 10,000-litre truncated cone-shaped vats. This is followed by the ripening process in 225-litre barriques for 18 months and bottle ageing for 15 months.

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Hebo € 18.20

Sensory features Shining ruby red and the aromas reveal notes of black cherry, violets and blueberry, followed by seductive mineral hints and nuances of Mediterranean scrub. To the palate, the wine is structured but fresh, savoury, lively and youthful. The finish is pleasantly fruited, made delicate by the savoury base and soft tannins.

Technical Notes

Grape varieties: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot & 10% Sangiovese

Soil: Loamy-sandy texture, slightly calcareous.