La vota

Along the western border of Belicello, the Belice River flows lazily drawing wide spirals: groves of reeds flourish along the dikes, a home for wild bees, little amphibians and migrant birds.

Inside one of those loops, which we have always called La vota, the soil is sandy and deep and is invaded by the River’s waters every couple of years. As a result, a huge amount of sediments collects, enriching the terrain with mineral components.

Here I grow the Cabernet Sauvignon, son of the River, the sand and the Mediterranean Sea.

WINE DETAILS

Harvest: 2014
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Vigne alla Vota
Soil: light sandy soil with silty components
Vineyard: planted in 1999, vertical shoot positioning, spur pruned cordon
Winemaking: skin contact for about 12 days in stainless steel tanks
Alcoholic fermentation: spontaneous, with wild yeast
Malolactic fermentation: spontaneous, in old barriques
Refining: minimum 15 months in large neutral Slavonian oak barrels, and 12 more months in bottles
Average production: 3,000 bottles/year