Appodiato of Montepulciano Single Vineyard St. Ercolano, I.G.T

The grapes for this wine come from the 1.01 hectare (2.4 acres) vineyard called S. Ercolano at 290 to 320 meters (~1,000ft) in elevation, just outside the town of Montepulciano, within the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG appellation.

Vineyard Location: southern exposure on a gently sloping hillside.

Vineyard age: planted in 1995 at a density of 2.80x0.8 meters (~9x3 ft), equivalent to 4,464 vines/ha (1,860/ac).

Trellising method: trained to a bilateral cordon with vertical shoot positioning.

Grapes: Sangiovese Clone A548 70%, Cabernet Sauvignon clone CL15 20% and Merlot of unknown clonal origin 10%, all on 420A rootstock.

Soil: sandy clay with limestone from the Pliocene era (6 million years ago).

The 2000 Vintage: a cold, dry Winter was followed by a wet, mild Spring which resulted in a very vigorous start of vegetation. A warm Summer was followed by early September rains fostering an excellent ripeness of the grapes.

Harvest: 4 and 5 October.

Grape must at harvest: sugar 24.50%, total acidity 6.85 per thousand, ph 3.31.

Vinification: small lot fermentation at 25-30°C  (77-86°F) using indigenous (wild) yeast. Fifteen day maceration with frequent aerations, pump-overs and punch-downs of the cap for optimum polyphenol extraction.

Malolactic fermentation: started during the primary fermentation it was finished a few days after being drawn off the lees.

Aging: placed in new French and American oak barrels on February 12th, 2001 it was taken out to settle in stainless steel tanks at the end of February 2002.

Bottling: to protect the vineyard’s character this wine was racked then bottled unfiltered on March 6th, 2002.

Production: 4,013 bottles.

Bottle age: in our temperature controlled cellar for at least 4 ½ years. Released Fall 2006.

Color: dark, deep, blackish-ruby hue.

Bouquet: bold and intense, with black currants, licorice, black pepper and a hint of vanilla.

Taste: full-bodied palate with exceptional black fruit intensity and spice. Big structured with well integrated, supple tannins and a long, persistent finish.     

Analytical data at the time of bottling: alcohol 13.61%, total acidity 5.55 per thousand, color 14.02, sugar 1.2 per thousand, polyphenols 3,371 mg/l, dry extract 30.85 g/l.

Serving temperature: 20°C,  68°F.

Gastronomy: best served with roasts and grilled meats, especially "fiorentina-style" T-Bone steak.

This wine, of great structure and concentration, is designed to reward extensive cellaring.