Dolcetto D’Alba Bricco Lago

San Sebastiano, Monforte d’Alba. Grapes from three small vineyards, where the average age of the vines is 40 years.

San Sebastiano, Monforte d’Alba. Grapes from three small vineyards, where the average age of the vines is 40 years.

There is little pumping over during the ten days of very simple wild yeast fermentation. The subsequent spontaneous malolactic fermentation does not take place until the following spring. After a short period of barrel ageing, the wine is bottled the following summer.

As an experiment during his last year at Oenological School in 1988, Luca made a wine with 50% whole-bunch fermentation. We picked up where he left off and began experimenting again with the approach, which enables us to add great substance and a contemporary touch to a historic, traditional variety. Five days of cold maceration are followed by 15 days of whole-berry primary fermentation, then spontaneous malolactic fermentation. A short period of barrel ageing preserves the crispness and complexity of the grapes. Presenting the perfect blend of the past and present, the wine is bottled the following summer. The winemaking style aims to reclaim the original characteristics that made Dolcetto such a wonderfully complex wine, while ensuring that it remains delightfully drinkable, giving it huge contemporary appeal.