The Mondoca vineyard, our own property, is located in Monforte d’Alba within the menzione geografica “Bussia” not far from the village of Dardi. Its soil is Miocene-Serravallian and has yellow, sandy swaths of soil that are more or less compact, and white Diano sandstone (compact sands solidified with natural “cements” like calcium carbonate from marine waters). At the highest point of the vineyard, its “backbone,” the soil is white, dusty, and poor in nutrients. In the summer it is prone to drought due to poor organic matter in the soil; it looks almost like the arid surface of the moon, its whiteness reflecting the sun. When the temperatures rise, the vines often undergo stress due to lack of water, and it seems that only Nebbiolo has the strength to grow here. Sometimes we fertilize with exclusively organic matter or with mature manure from organic-fed animals in order to help the vines retain more water. Mondoca, “sorì of the afternoon” (in Piemontese, sorì means “sunny vineyards”), has south and southwest exposure and experiences the highest temperatures of all the vineyards in the Barolo area.
VARIETY: 100% Nebbiolo
VINEYARD
Location: Monforte d’Alba, Plot 2, Sub-plots 178, 407, 406 Characteristics: 380 meters above sea level, southwestern exposure, 2.7 x 0.9 meters spacing, 4,500 vines/hectare density, Guyot upward-trained vertical-trellised training system. Age: 35 years Size: 1.13 hectares Yield: 50 quintals/hectare
HARVESTING PERIOD: First 10 days of October
WINEMAKING: Scrupulous vine growing. Careful manual selection of grapes, both in the vineyards and in the cellar by means of conveyor belt, gentle de-stemming and pressing. Fermentation and maceration for approximately 30 days, at a constant temperature of 28- 29°C. Malolactic fermentation follows in December.
AGEING: The wine is aged in 30Hl oak barrels for approximately 36 months, and then in the bottle. During the best vintages, the Bussia Vigna Mandoca wine becomes a Reserve, ageing in our cellar for a total of 5 years.
ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS: Mellow and elegant bouquet with scents of berries and natural balsamic notes, Mediterranean woodlands and dried rose reminiscent of goudron with ageing. Well-balanced on the palate with elegant and assertive tannic texture, long and complex finish.
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