Elio Grasso Barbera d'Alba Vigna Martina

Elio Grasso harvests the grapes for this exceptional Barbera from the approximately 25-year-old vines of his "Vigna Martina" vineyard. Aging takes place in French oak barriques, half of which are new and the other half of which have already been used for a year to hold one of Elio's wines. The result is an opulent, fruity, powerful, and smooth, exemplary Piedmontese wine. Harvest time and method: The last third of September or the first week of October; the grapes are harvested by hand. The production of the Barbera d'Alba Vigna Martina involves a 12-15 day fermentation in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature, with daily pump-overs of the cap of fermenting wine. After fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine matures for 12 months in French oak barriques, 50% new and 50% one-year-old. Following bottling, the wine remains in the cellar for at least 8 months before release. The grapes ripen on calcareous, almost sandy soils. Duemilavini: 4 grapes; Gambero Rosso: 2 glasses; Veronelli: 3 stars