CHIANTI CLASSICO

DENOMINATION: Chianti Classic, il Molino di Grace d.o.c.g. 2000

HISTORY OF THE WINE: The Chianti Classico “il Molino di Grace” has at its heart, a block of twenty year old vines producing small quantities of premium fruit. Allied to this aged vineyard, there are a host of new vines, planted at a density of 5,000 plants per hectare. Green harvesting, whereby healthy grapes are cut from the vine before harvest, is routinely carried out. This focuses the vines attentions on the bunches that remain and in wetter years, greantly reduces the chance of disease or rot. Harvesting is always carried out by hand and a secondary quality control occcurs on the sorting table. The talks are 100% removed and the grapes are crushed. Fermentation occurs in 1200 litre steel fermentation vessel for 18-19 days at temperatures carefully regulates and monitored ca. 28 degrees centigrade. The alcoholic fermentation is followed immediately by the malolactic fermentation. Since stainless steel is employed for the fermentation vessels, micro oxygenation is used to retain freshness. Most of the wine in then matured in both 225 litre Boerdeaux barrels as well as the more traditional 1500 litre “Botte” for a further 12 months. The aim being that the oak will add complexity but will not dominate the wine. Finally the wine spends a further 12 months in bottle prior to release. The most important point is to achieve balance in the wine; a harmony of its individual elements.

GRAPE VARIETIES: Sangiovese grosso (big) and Sangiovese piccolo (small) are predominately used, making up 90% of the final blend. The remaining 10% is made up using Cabernet Sauvignon; Cannaiolo Nero end some Merlot. All the vines are grafted onto 420A rootstock which is resistant to phylloxera.

VINE TRAINING SYSTEM: Spurred cordon with between 6-8 buds per cord.

ALTITUDE: Between 280 and 400 metres above sea level

HECTARES: the total vineyard in 80 hectares (176 acres) wuth 20 hectares (44 acres) under vine.

ORIENATION: The vineyards are all South or South-West facing

SOILS: Galestro, a marl and limestone soil, with some pockets of clay.

GREEN HARVESTING: Green harvesting yakes place several times, whereby the number of bunches per plant, is reduced in order to reduce the likelihood of disease and to improve the quality of the remaining grapes.

VINTAGE: The vintage usually occurs towards the end of September and the beginning of October and can continue into November: The particular climactic condition of each vintage will determine the actual start date of the harvest, when the grapes are physiologically ripe.

HARVESTING: By hand and the grapes are collected in small baskets to prevent damage. On reception at the winery, a further quality control is carried out on the sorting table before the talks are removed and the grape and skins are pumped into the stainless steel fermentation vessels

ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION: Carried out at controlled temperatures of ca. 28 degrees centigrade for a period of 14-18 days. The cap of the grape skins within the fermentation vessel in repeatedly sprayed to improve colour and increase phenolic extration.

MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION: This follows the alcoholic fermentation and changes the harsher green malic acids to the riper, roudere lactic acids.

ALCOHOLIC CONTENT: 13%

YIELD: Not more that 50 hectolitres per hectare.