Masso Montepulciano 2024

Story

‘Boulder’. Montepulciano shares its ancestry with the Mitolo family, in the hilly Central Italian region of Abruzzo. Here exists the Gran Sasso d’Italia, the highest peak of the Apennine Mountains.

Tasting Note

Incredibly smooth textured and vibrant. Rich dark cherry, blood plum, boysenberry and blackberry mesh with aromatic undertones of espresso, chocolate and charcuterie, and create generous fruit flesh throughout the palate, exemplified by silky tannins and very fine, soft chalk minerality. Savoury elements of fresh sage, Sichuan pepper and clove carry into the finish, enlivened by succulent acidity and prefect balance. 

Winemaking

Crushed and destemmed, fermented in a single two tonne open fermenter with pump overs two to three times daily and hand plunging at peak ferment. Temperatures were kept cool, between 20 and 24 degrees Celsius to retain fruit vibrancy and ensure a fine tannin structure. Pressed and racked off gross lees, followed by natural malolactic fermentation and 15 months maturation in 70% French and 30% American oak seasoned and second fill hogs head barrels. Light filtration prior to bottle, no finings used.    

Vineyard

Lopresti Ridgehaven Vineyard - Hahn Road, Sellicks Hill.

The site is defined by its red-brown clay loam soils, atop Christies Beach formation. Shattered rock appears throughout the profile, becoming more prevalent at its base where Nero d’Avola and Montepulciano rows reside. A north-westerly aspect captures ample sunlight, and ensuring flavour ripeness and plush tannin maturity in the fruit, whilst strong gully winds from the Ranges cool the vineyard into the evening 

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