Bramito del Cervo Chardonnay Umbria

The Bramìto del Cervo Umbria (meaning "The Stag's Rutting Call") is the younger sibling of the famous Cervaro della Sala, aged in new French oak barrels. This brief contact with the wood imparts a delicate vanilla note and a pleasantly smooth, balanced flavor. The grapes come from vineyards of Castello della Sala, situated at an altitude of 200-400 meters above sea level on sedimentary soils rich in marine fossils and containing clay. Immediately after harvesting, the grapes were placed in a cooling/conveyor system to chill them to a low temperature before destemming and pressing (essential for preserving the varietal aromas). Following this, the must remained in contact with the skins for several hours at 10°C to extract all the aromatic compounds. It was then transferred to French oak barrels (Alliers and Tronçais) for alcoholic fermentation. After a short aging period in oak barrels and partial malolactic fermentation (biological acid reduction), the wine was racked and then bottled. Wine Spectator: 89 points for the 2012 vintage.