Salice Salentino DOP – Riserva

GRAPES: 90% Negroamaro, 10% Malvasia Nera
VINYARD AREA: The Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera grapes are carefully selected from low-yielding vineyards in the Province of Brindisi, in southern Puglia.
PLANT TRAINING AND DENSITY: The vines are trained in the Guyot and the “Alberello Pugliese” system. Plant density is around 5.500 plants per hectare with an average yield of 1.5 kg per plant. The plants are an average of 20 to 35 years old.
HARVEST: Both grape varieties are manually harvested in late September.
WINEMAKING PROCESS: After de-stemming, the grapes are not crushed, allowing them to remain intact, reducing damage to the skins and optimizing colour
extraction. The two grape varieties are fermented together in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 23-25°C for 8-10 days. Frequent remontage and delestage are carried out during the fermentation in order to achieve soft extraction of aromas and gentle tannins. After racking, malolactic fermentation is induced.
AGING: Following malolactic fermentation the wine is racked and placed in second and third passage 500 litre tonneaux barrels and left there to age for 12 months.
ALCOHOL: 14.5 %
RESIDUAL SUGAR: 8,5 gr/lt
TASTING NOTES: Deep violet red in colour, it displays intense and elegant earthy aromas of blackcurrants, candied fruits, white pepper and spices. The palate is full-bodied, velvety and rich, with complex yet soft tannins and a long and persistent finish.
SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with a variety of foods, from meat based pasta dishes to hard cheeses and game.
SERVING TEMPERATURE: 18-20 °C