From: Tuscany, Italy
Varietal: Trebbiano di Toscana and Malvasia Bianca del Chianti
Tasting Note: Rich, yet delicate stone fruit character shoots forth from the glass, with light floral tones, and earthy minerality. Balanced acidity and an incredibly lengthy finish make for a remarkable and complex orange wine.
Sassocarlo is the estate’s orange wine made from Trebbiano and a bit of Malvasia, both spending their first 4 days of natural fermentation on the skins to add to the texture and color of the finished wine. Normally picked around the middle of October, the color of the grapes change to orange and pink aiding in the beautiful hue of the finished wine; and it gives ample time for some of the grapes (about 20%) to become affected by botrytis, adding more depth and complexity to the juice. After the grapes are pressed off the skins, the fermenting must goes into old French Tonneau barrels for the next 12 months to complete fermentations, seeing regular battonage for the first month, and then once a week stirrings for the rest of the year. After an additional month in stainless steel, the wine is racked for the first time into bottle. No yeasts are added to the process, no sulfur is used, and the unfiltered wine is full of expressive character.
Fattoria di Bacchereto has a unique history that has more significance in the wine world than most all others across the globe. Carmignano DOCG was the first region to receive established rules regarding wine production in 1716 by the Grand Duke Cosimo III; making it Italy’s first DOC (100 years prior to any AOC regulations in France!), known as Barco Reale. The Bacchereto estate is part of the old Barco Reale game reserve for the Grand Duke in 1626, which has since become noted for its wine production. When the Rossella Bencini Tesi family first took over the property in 1920, they were destined to produce incredible fruit from this historical area, and now farm 8 hectares of grapes within 9 different parcels, and have 60 hectares of olive trees and woods in the famous forests of Barco Reale. In 2002 the Terre a Mano name was added to the winery to signify their commitment to the natural methods they use in all aspects of their production; including biodynamics, absolutely minimal intervention to the wines, and not only customary Carmignano Rosso, but also incredible skin-fermented white wine, and some of the most traditional Vin Santo one can find.