Messorio 2018

The fruit for Messorio was sourced from the Vignone estate parcel. Yields are managed tightly through the use of low vigor rootstocks and drastic thinning of clusters.

After sorting and destemming, 1/3 of the grapes were vinified in concrete vats and the remaining part in steel. A regular fermentation process, long macerations, frequent pumping over and manual punching down and some quick cold soaks in the last few days gave a sweet-smelling and fresh wine, with noble and mouthfilling tannins and excellent complexity on the palate. In late October the wine was left to age in new oak barriques for 18 months, followed by 20 months in bottle.

A winter with temperatures in the seasonal average range, rainfall which continued throughout the spring period and budbreak slightly late as compared with the previous year because of the below-average temperatures. The abundance of water and moisture in the soil, which had suffered from the previous year’s drought, and the rising of temperatures in early May caused the buds to burst and grow quickly. During the summer period, the soil was worked frequently and carefully in order to control excess soil moisture. In mid-July, green harvesting was performed, lessening the overall fruit load and improving the quality of that which remained. Harvesting began on schedule, in step with the “ordinary” vintages, starting with the white grapes harvested over the third week of August and ending on the third and fourth week of September with the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties, all of good and excellent quality.