Montepulciano
is sometimes referred to as the “Pearl of the sixteenth century,”
with its courts and the aristocratic beauty of the land. Vines and
olive trees have always grown well here, and the local fruits are
appreciated as much today as they ever were.
For more than ten years Corte alla Flora has been selecting soils
and choosing vines with an abiding respect for tradition.
Corte alla Flora works in the Cervognano area, on 35 hectares selected
from 90 on the property in the heart of the zone of the disciplinare.
The soils are clayey, and calcareous. This gives balance in the development
of tannins and aromas. The principal variety is Prugnolo Gentile which
is a local line of Sangiovese. Experimental plantings of the indigenous
Pugnitello are beginning to bear fruit, and Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet
Sauvignon are also planted.
The vines are trained a cordone speronato and pruned short, a modern
technique blended with traditional culture. The resulting low yields
are the basis of the wine quality: 5,200 plants per hectare, thinning
out and harvesting by hand, a maximum production of 60 quintals per
hectare (~2.5 tons/acre.)
Rather than “Supertuscan,” implying an ideology of the New, the goal
here is to bottle super Tuscan, a synthesis of ancient and
modern vines, worthy of the rich territory.
The Rosso Toscano IGT uncludes 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot,
and 20% Prugnolo Gentile. The grapes are hand- picked, destemmed,
fermented below ground in stainless steel tanks at a maximum of 28°C.
Maceration lasts from 15 (Prugnolo Gentile) to 30 days (Cabernet Sauvignon),
after which the wine is racked off the lees and pressed gently. Malolactic
fermentation in tanks is followed by 12 months in Allier barriques,
then 12 months in bottle. Alcohol is 14%.
The information
on this page comes in a presentation-quality pdf file: here
Shelf
talkers in pdf: here
