Le Grive · Monferrato Rosso DOC 2023

  Le Grive is the first wine from the Forteto della Luja winery and is a fascinating cuvée of 90% Barbera and 10% Pinot Nero - an unusual but remarkably harmonious combination. The vines grow on calcareous marl with inclusions of clay, sandstone and sand, on sun-drenched slopes over 400 meters above sea level. Surrounded by old stone walls, juniper bushes and gorse, the grapes ripen in a microclimate that creates ideal conditions for wines full of character. The juniper thrush - “grive” in Italian - which feeds on the berries around the vineyards gives the vineyards their name. The vines are cultivated using the short Guyot method, with a planting density of over 7,000 shoots per hectare, resulting in low yields and high quality.

The winemaking consistently follows traditional, manual methods. The healthy, fully ripe grapes are harvested late and carefully selected, gently pressed and fermented at a controlled temperature. After racking, malolactic fermentation takes place before the wine is naturally stabilized during the cold winter. The subsequent ageing in small oak barrels lasts around ten months and gives Le Grive its depth, elegance and ageing potential. The wine is usually bottled at the end of the summer - shortly before the next harvest begins. Thanks to the selection of grape varieties, natural cultivation and careful vinification, this wine is particularly rich in anthocyanins and noble polyphenols - substances that contribute to its expression and ageing potential. - Gerardo [TS10/24]