Andrea Sottimano, from quarantine in the hills of Neive, Barbaresco, would like to share his thoughts on some of his newest releases with you!
Grab a bottle of Sottimano and taste along with us as we wander the patchwork quilt of vineyards that are his back yard…
THE WINE: Dolcetto d’Alba ‘Bric del Salto’, Sottimano
GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Dolcetto
TERROIR: Sourced from 3 different vineyards (totaling 3.5 ha) in Neive: Cottá, Basarin, and San Cristoforo.
VINIFICATION: The fermentation and maceration happens on the skins and normally takes about 20 days. No selected yeasts are used. The malolactic fermentation is completed in stainless steel, where the wine remains for approximately 6 months. There is no filtering and no fining prior to bottling. 1833 cases produced.
THE WINE: Brachetto ‘Maté’ [Dry-Still], Sottimano
GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Brachetto
TERROIR: The Maté vineyard is a little (1.1 hectare) plot of 40+ year old Brachetto vines planted to limestone and clay in the zone of Treiso.
VINIFICATION: The fermentation and the maceration on the skins normally takes about 20 days, using only indigenous yeasts. The malolactic fermentation is completed in stainless steel, where the wine remains for approximately 8 months. The Maté is never fined or filtered.
THE WINE: Langhe Nebbiolo [Basarin], Sottimano
GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Nebbiolo
TERROIR: The Langhe Nebbiolo is produced from the Basarin vineyard in Neive which is on the border with Treiso. This terroir and the high altitude of the vineyard give the wine notes of spices and a hint of licorice, as well a great complexity and considerable structure. The vines are young, about 15 years old, and for this reason, Sottimano chooses to declassify what could be a Barbaresco into Langhe Nebbiolo.
VINIFICATION: The fermentation and the maceration on the skins lasts about 25 days. No selected yeasts are used. The malolactic fermentation happens in French barrels coopered expressively for the estate by Francois Frères in Burgundy.
The wine stays in these barrels for approximately 14-16 months, half of this time on its lees. 15% of the barrels used for aging this wine are new, the remaining 85% have previously been used up to 4 times. There is no filtering and no fining prior to bottling.
THE WINE: Barbera d’Alba Superiore ‘Pairolero’, Sottimano
GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Barbera
TERROIR: From two different vineyards in Neive: Basarin and San Cristoforo.
VINIFICATION: Fermentation and maceration lasts 25 days. No selected yeasts are used. Malolactic fermentation takes place in 15% new French oak barrels coopered expressively for Sottimano by Francois Frères in Burgundy. The wine stays in these barrels for approximately 15-16 months. There is no filtering and no fining prior to bottling.
THE WINE: Barbaresco ‘Cottá’, Sottimano
GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Nebbiolo
TERROIR: 40-60 year old vines Planted to limestone and clay.
VINIFICATION: The fermentation and the maceration on the skins normally takes about 40 days. No selected yeasts are used. The malolactic fermentation happens naturally in French barrels coopered expressively for Sottimano by Francois Frères in Burgundy.
The wine stays in these barrels for approximately 24 months, half of this time on its lees. 10-15% of the barrels used for aging this wine are new; the remaining barrels have previously been used up to 4 times. There is no filtering and no fining prior to bottling. 650 cases produced.
THE WINE: Barbaresco ‘Basarin’, Sottimano
GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Nebbiolo
TERROIR: From the Basarin cru in Neive.
VINIFICATION: Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts following an extended maceration on the skins. Wine then ages sur lie for 24 months in French barriques, of which 10% is new and 90% is used. The wine in bottled unfined and unfiltered.
THE WINE: Barbaresco ‘Currá’, Sottimano
GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Nebbiolo
TERROIR: 55-75 year old vines planted to an amphitheater-shaped vineyard rich in limestone.
VINIFICATION: The fermentation and the maceration on the skins normally takes about 40 days. No selected yeasts are used. The malolactic fermentation happens naturally in French barrels coopered expressively for us by Francois Frères in Burgundy.
The wine stays in these barrels for approximately 24 months, half of this time on its lees. 10-15% of the barrels used for aging this wine are new, the remaining barrels have previously been used up to 4 times. There is no filtering and no fining prior to bottling.
