Fattoria Dei Barbi Brunello Montalcino Riserva

The first Brunello imported in the USA, Fattoria dei Barbi is a historic estate that continues to be a pioneer in Tuscan wines. This Brunello Riserva is made only in the best years and is sourced from a special selection of grapes collected from the best of the estate’s 41 hectares (100 acres) in southeast Montalcino. Extended aging in oak results in a more complex wine with a longer aging potential.

Manual harvest occurs at the end of September followed by a pre-fermentation cold maceration (“cold-soak”), which consists of cooling the grapes at a temperature of 3°-5°C (37 – 41°F) in an anaerobic environment (under a CO² blanket) to protect the must from oxidation. This non-alcoholic, aqueous extraction results in an increased color intensity and stability, softer astringency and tannins and more body and aromatics. After 48 hours, the temperature is raised and alcoholic fermentation begins, lasting 16 -17 days and temperatures reach 29°- 30°C (83 – 86°F). After racking and malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged in small-medium size oak barrels (500L – 20HL) for the first months, followed by three years in 30HL Slavonian oak casks. The wine rests in bottle for six months before release.