Argentiera DOC Bolgheri Superiore 2017 (Italy)

Description

• French oak
• Strong
• Silky texture
• Unique structure

Argentiera, Doc Bolgheri Superiore, draws its strength and uniqueness from the magnificent territory in which it’s generated. The grapes come from the estate’s best vineyards of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It is a wine with a rich and silky taste. A long maturation in French oak barrels, the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon and the unique terroir of Tenuta Argentiera make this wine on of the greatest expressions in the Bolgheri area.

A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

The year began with a generally mild winter and heavy rain. In February came the cold, with days recorded as low as -6°C, a rare occasion for the Bolgheri area. In spring, budding in April was delayed but without cause for alarm. Plentiful rains in May and June (178 mm) compromised the defense mechanisms of the plant in an already fragile phase: here, timeliness in the vineyard and the welcome exposure to sea winds were fundamental in the health of the vineyards in order not to compromise production. Summer was dry as usual, although average temperatures were lower than in recent years, peaking in the first week of August. Veraison was a bit slow, especially for certain varieties such as Cabernet Franc. The abundant spring rains guaranteed a long, slow maturation leading up to a sunny September that allowed us to arrive at the right maturation in each microzone. Harvest began on September 5th with the first parcels of merlot, followed by vermentino on the morning of September 18th. The end of September brought in the fresh and ventilated parcels of “Argentiera e Ginestre” merlot, followed by cabernet franc. Harvested concluded with cabernet sauvignon, harvested between the final days of September and October 5th.

Grapes are hand-picked and carefully selected from the estate’s best vineyards, which are found at an altitude between 180 and 200 meters (590-600 feet). The grapes are released by gravity into tanks, each varietal vinified separately. Fermentation and maceration take place in stainless steel tanks for roughly 25-30 days at a controlled temperature never exceeding 28/30° C. The wine is then transferred to 225-liter French oak barrels – half of which are new – to complete malolactic fermentation. Aging takes place in barrel, then in bottle before being released to the market.