Tenuta l'Impostino - 6 bt Ballo Angelico - Tuscany Vermentino I.G.P.

Data Sheet

Name: Lupo Bianco

Appellation: Tuscany Vermentino I.G.P.

Grapes: 100% Vermentino

Vineyard: Le Macchie

Planting year: April 2007

Characteristics of the soil: fertile with an optimal quantity of organic matter and a strong presence of calcareous bedrock rich of minerals

Exposition: south-west

Altitude: 380 m asl

Planting density: 5.500 plants/ha

Pruning system: spurred cordon (Royat cordon)

Yield per hectare: 7 tonnes

Harvest: manual in boxes, in middle September

Vinication: the grapes carefully harvested are manually selected on a sorting belt in the winery, before being pressed. The must sediments during the night at about 10°C before the beginning of the alcoholic fermentation with selected yeasts, at a constant temperature of 16°C

Duration of the alcoholic fermentation: 15-18 days

Malolactic fermentation: spontaneously in stainless steel tanks

Maturation: 6 months in stainless steel tanks on its lees

Aging: 2 months in bottle

Analytical bottling data: alcohol: 13,14 % vol, residual sugar: 1 g/l, total acidity: 5,82 g/l, pH: 3,25, volatile acidity: 0,14 g/l

La Season

The winter that accompanied the phase of vines dormancy didn't record relevant snowfall but it has been rich in rainfall which promoted a good accumulation of water in the soil, essential to face the hot Tuscany summer. The temperatures were typical of the season with a particularly rigid January, during which the minimum night temperatures were often below 0°C. The spring had a start with temperatures that were slightly below the usual standard; this fact has promoted a delay of blossoming which resulted in a postponement of the harvesting, that took place during the middle of September. At the end of the spring the plants were in optimal conditions with well developed shoots and a well balanced leaf coverage; after setting, bunches showed regular dimensions during their growth, keeping themselves straggly until the veraison, making in this way the phytosanitary management easier. The hot and slightly rainy summer did not prevent the plants reaching their full maturity with a regular physiological activity and equilibrate tasting grapes, well provided of freshness and minerality, with outstanding aromatic charactestic.

Tasting Notes

It's of a bright straw colour, with fresh green hues, and it has an intense varietal aroma in which are recognisable oral and fruity sweet notes of yellow peach and melon, with a touch of peppermint. At the taste it is fresh and lively, dry and full-bodied, and it later opens to bring all the aroma intensity that the smell has already anticipated. It has a lovely mineral note and a slightly bitter ending characterised by a long and harmonic persistence.

Food Pairings

Wine with an elegant and slim body, it is a perfect pairing for the traditional “bruschetta” and small nger-foods, proposing itself as the main character for a long aperitif. It is suggested during the meal with light dish of pasta with vegetables as base, with which it is exalted its natural sapidity: the tradition suggests it with the classic “Tuscany papa” with tomato sauce. Particularly suitable with all kinds of sh plates, it is a must with “carpaccio” of white sh and raw shellsh.

Ballo Angelico ( Angelic Dance )

It is said that the Bishop of Grosseto loved to organize tournaments at the castle of Cotone, and that those events, reserved to nobles, were followed by feasts and banquets , to which the  inhabitants of the whole village could attend.

Over time, however, the festive atmosphere and dancing around the fires became a continuous and spasmodic practice for the people of the castle, so that the bishop was forced to summon the inhabitants and gave a lengthy and impassioned speech to bring them to repentance.

Men and women of Cotton listened to him in silence , and promised to change their life, but at nightfall could not resist, and returned to their orgiastic celebrations. Not satisfied, they closed the Bishop in a barrel, and rolled it into the river Ombrone: the poor victim, dragged by and banged from boulder to boulder, miraculously ended up stranded at the bridge of Istia, just before falling into the sea.

Understandig to be saved by divine intervention, the Bishop showed himself ready to forgive, if the inhabitants of  Cotton  redeemed, but there was no time: that night, during one of the usual parties, an earthquake struck the manor, of which nothing remained but a pile of rubble.

To the dancing figures of the inhabitants of Cotton is dedicated our Vermentino, wine fresh and graceful, fragrant Spring. Made with Vermentino grapes, it matures for 6 months in steel tanks.

Served at 10-12°C, goes well with rough fish, vegetables dishes, light pasta dishes. It is wonderful as an Aperitif.