Argentiera Bolgheri DOC Superiore draws its strength and originality from the magnificent land from where it was born. The grapes come from the winery’s most suitable vineyards of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. This is a wine with a rich and silky taste. A long maturation in French oak barrels, the refined structure and the unique terroir of Argentiera make this wine on of the greatest expressions in the Bolgheri area.
Merlot
48%
Cabernet Sauvignon
45%
Cabernet Franc
7%
The grapes are harvested and selected by hand, coming from the most suitable parcels of the winery which are located between 180 and 200 m.a.sl. The integral berries fall into the tanks by the use of gravity and undergo vinification divided by variety. Fermentation and maceration take place in stainless steel tanks for about 25/30 days at controlled temperatures not exceeding 28/30° C. The wine is then transferred to 50% new 225-liter French oak barrique where the malolactic fermentation is completed. After 14 months of aging in barrique, the wine is assembled and prepared for bottling. It rests in the bottle for about a year.
Altitude
180/200 m. asl
Vineyard exposure
Southwest
Plant density
7500 plants/ha
Yield per hectare
60 qa/ha
The harvest, which started on the second week of September, was characterized by a quick picking of perfectly ripe and healthy grapes, which were brought to the cellar between one rainy day and another. The climatic trend turned out to generally be favorable in a year that has been particularly dry, with little rain that only started from mid-May onwards. Summer had been regular and dry, without excessively high temperatures. A storm at the end of August has poured 40 mm of rain that has been essential to the final phase of ripening of the grapes. The patient wait for the perfect polyphenolic maturation of the red grapes has enabled the harvest of Argentiera Merlots characterized by incredible fruit and excellent productivity. Production and quantity of Vermentino and Syrah grapes were equally outstanding. In time for harvest, the Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards located along the Aurelia yielded perfect quality grapes for Poggio ai Ginepri. The Cabernet Franc grapes harvested between 24 September and 1 October from the Ventaglio vineyard are the promise of excellence. The second half of September saw a sudden change in temperature, with averages below 20°C, and unusual rain along the coast of Bolgheri, so the Cabernet Sauvignon harvest, especially in the high areas of Argentiera, had been sped up in order to bring grapes at the height of their expression in terms of ripeness and balance to the cellar, and prevent the rain from washing away all the richness that the fruit contained. Fortunately, the grapes have not shown any sign of watering down but have immediately expressed aromatic delicacy and a certain elegance that distinguish them from the fruits harvested at the beginning of September. On October 6, the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the “campetto” vineyard were picked, completing a harvest that left everyone highly satisfied and committed. The wines produced present outstanding balance and have blended in tannins, acidity and aromas, ensuring a vintage endowed with balance and longevity.