Castello Conti 2021 'Origini' Vino Rosso (Boca)

Vineyard Notes: Several years ago, the sisters acquired a parcel of very old vines (50-80 years old) planted in the local traditional maggiorina trellising system, in which four vines are planted in a tight square and trained in the four cardinal directions, forming a goblet shape. Origini (meaning origins) is a true field blend: everything is harvested and fermented together. In a way, it is the most Alto Piemonte wine the Conti sisters produce; with Nebbiolo playing only a minor role, and with a training system so specific to the area, it takes the mind even farther from the Langhe than do the Conti Boca and Conti Spanna.

Winemaking Notes: Grapes for the Conti Origini Rosso are 100% destemmed and transferred to a tank for native yeast fermentation. During the alcoholic fermentation, the must is punched down daily (twice at the beginning of vinification, once when the sugar is almost done). The juice stays in contact with the skin and lees for about 10 days. The wine is then transferred to 40-hectoliter fiberglass vats to facilitate the separation of gross lees. The wine ages in wood barrels, steel vats, and fiberglass. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally. The wine is filtered before bottling with coarse filter pads. Small quantities of SO2 are added during racking and at bottling.