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The new vineyard of Inzolia

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Cantine Barbera's new vineyard of Inzolia has been planted by reproducing old clones that have adapted to Menfi's terroir for more than 90 years

There are basically two ways to plant a new vineyard.

You can call a vine grower, and buy young vines directly from him. But you don’t exactly know which genetic material you are using, and which is the real background of your vines. 

Or you can only buy the rootstock – which is fundamental for us, being the Phylloxera endemic in our territory – that you will graft with the fruiting wood picked from your older vineyard, thus using your genetic material.

I choose the second way, as you can see in the infographic below.

infographic massal selection
When I first thought about a new vineyard of inzolia, I wanted to reproduce the complexity and the personality of the old vineyard Dietro le Case, which has adapted to the soil, the climate, the terroir of Tenuta Belicello for more than forty years. And, last but not the least, I wanted the old vines’ original and extraordinary genetic material to survive, being present in the property since 1920’s.

This video, which was shot in 2008, shows how the grafting works. 

 

 

Photos taken in different moments tell about the grafting procedures and the vineyard’s growth, from the planting to today.


  • Si regolano le radici delle barbatelle selvatiche
    Si regolano le radici delle barbatelle selvatiche
  • Qui a cinque mesi dall'impianto
    Qui a cinque mesi dall'impianto
  • Il germoglio del selvatico, a Maggio
    Il germoglio del selvatico, a Maggio
  • L'anno successivo si taglia la barbatella selvatica per l'innesto
    L'anno successivo si taglia la barbatella selvatica per l'innesto
  • Ecco il taglio che aderirà alla gemma
    Ecco il taglio che aderirà alla gemma
  • Si pulisce bene il taglio, per favorire l'adesione
    Si pulisce bene il taglio, per favorire l'adesione
  • Si inserisce la marza nel taglio della barbatella
    Si inserisce la marza nel taglio della barbatella
  • Si sigilla l'innesto e si aspetta...
    Si sigilla l'innesto e si aspetta...
  • Ecco l'innesto a dimora
    Ecco l'innesto a dimora
  • La vigna a tre anni dall'innesto
    La vigna a tre anni dall'innesto
  • La vigna di Inzolia oggi
    La vigna di Inzolia oggi

 

Tags: inzolia, Tenuta Belicello, infografica, viticoltura, innesto in campo

THE SHORT STORY

THE SHORT STORY

Grape variety: Inzolia grown in Dietro le Case vineyard
Soil: clay soil with calcareous components, very rich in limestones and sea minerals
Vineyard: planted in 1960s, head-trained bush vines
Winemaking: skin contact for 48 hours in steel tanks
Alcoholic fermentation: spontaneous, with wild yeast
Malolactic fermentation: spontaneous
Refining: 4 months on fine lees, in steel tanks
Aging: one oak barrel, where it ages in perpetuum with its sediment
Average production: a few dozen bottles every some years

Download wine sheet

WINEMAKING

The grapes are handpicked the first half of September, when they are fully ripe. The traditional pruning system - called "a pezzo e spalla" - and the age of the vines, allow slow constant ripening cycles and a great aromatic concentration.

The fermentation is spontaneous, with 2 days skin contact. After soft pressing, the fermentation continues for 8 days in steel tanks. After malolactic is completed, the wine refines on fine lees for about 4 months and is then racked into one single oak barrel, where it ages in perpetuum with its sediment.

The wine is bottled directly from the barrel no more than 2-3 times every decade.

TASTING NOTES

Altrimenti has a bright amber color, enlivened by golden hues. Its nose is predominantly tertiary, where fruity notes of apricot and ripe figs blend onto an intense and aromatic herbal background, enriched by roasted and dried nuts.

It is dry and full bodied to the palate, with a distinct savory personality that harmoniously meets a tannic finish.

SERVING TEMPERATURE: 54 - 58 °F
Pour Altrimenti in wide glasses, at a fresh but not chilled temperature.
Please avoid freezers and blast chillers, as well as a prolonged time in your home refrigerator: this wine is not filtered nor fined, and any temperature below 40 °F will mortify its complex aromas.

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