Monte del Fra Bardolino Chiaretto ROSE DOC

Monte del Fra Bardolino Veneto DOC from Italy, Veneto by Az.Ag. Monte del Fra Sommacampagna (12 x 75 cl)

Monte del Fra Bianco di Custoza DOC Bianco Veneto from Italy, Veneto, Bianco de Custoza by Az.Ag. Monte del Fra Sommacampagna (12 x 75 cl)

The Wine: light ruby red with violet reflections; intense, characteristically young and fruity bouquet; fresh, dry, fruity taste, delicate and pleasantly acidic. Area: The Murgia hills north west of Bari Vine: Bombino Nero Grape. Grape Variety: 100% Bombino Nero; this red berry variety is grown exclusively in this area. It is not suitable for producing red, because the pulpe is not reticular and thus contains a lot of juice. This allows the wine maker to obtain approximately 60-63% of must obtained from natural free run juice hence without using a press. Fermentation of Must: fermented at a controlled temperature of 18-20ºC, after having added selected yeasts to the decanted must. Alcoholic fermentation lasts about 15 days. Wine ageing: the wine is aged in vitrified winery containers and or stainless steel vats for 4-5 months. After refrigeration processing, the wine is bottled after being filtered through sterilised membranes. The wine is ready for marketing 6-7 months after vinification. Production Area: the ''Castel del Monte'' D.O.C., zone, extending over the Murgia hills north west of Bari. Age of the Vineyards: varies from 15 to 30 years. Vine Training: low goblet of low espalier. Soil Characteristics: vines grow in stony ground, made up of layers of thin rock alternating with soil, characteristic of the Murgia hills. Harvest: second ten days of September (12 x 75 cl)

The Wine: straw yellow in colour; fresh fruity bouquet; dry delicate and harmonious taste, pleasantly acidic and fruity. Area: The Murgia hills north-west of Bari Vine: Bombino Bianco, Pampanuto and Chardonnay Grapes. Production Area: the Castel del Monte D.O.C. zone, extending over the Murgia hills north-west of Bari. Soil: features deep sandy an d calcareous soil. Age of the Vineyards: varies from 10 to 15 years. Growing System: trellis trained and espallier. Wine Harvest: first week of September [mid August for the Chardonnay]. Wine Ageing: the wine is matured in stainless steel vats. After refrigeration, it is filtered first with multi layered filters which give the wine its brilliance, than, just before bottling, it is filtered through sterilising membranes. The wine is ready for sale in March. Fermentation of Must: fermented at a controlled temperature of 16-18ºC after having added selected yeasts to the decanted must. Alcoholic fermentation lasts about ten days. (12 x 75 cl)

The Rupicolo is a red wine obtained with a careful vinification of the indigenous red grape varieties of the Castel del Monte DOC area, such as Montepulciano and Nero di Troia . The former grape variety gives it fruitiness and drinkability while the latter gives it character and moderate structure. The result is a young pleasant all round red wine with a good ageing capacity. Taste: Ruby red colour. Full aromatic bouquet. Soft, dry harmonious taste, lightly tannic. Area of production: The Castel del Monte DOC extending over the Murcia hills north west of Bari. (12 x 75 cl)

The Wine: intense garnet red, a heady full bodied aroma; rich, noble bouquet; dry robust rich flavour. Area: Hills in the northern zone of the Castel del Monte D.O.C. region. Vine: Aglianico Grape. Production Area: the Castel del Monte D.O.C. zone, extending over the Murgia hills north-west of Bari. Grape Processing: vinification is done using traditional submerged manta system, carefully controlled in order to extract the noble tannins & the best of the varietal characteristics, which reach their height after slow ageing in barrels and in the bottle. The maceration lasts 8-10 days; the must, separated from the skins, continues to ferments for several days at a temperature of 25-28ºC. Refining of the Wine: the wine is aged for a few months in vitrifed winery containers, where malolactic fermentation takes place. The true maturing process begins, first in 225 litre barriques for about 12-14 months & continues in the bottle until the wine is ready for the market. (6 x 75 cl)

The Wine: deep ruby colour, complex bouquet due to the harmonic blending of the varietal features of the wine and spiciness of the wood in which it has been aged; sufficiently tannic but not too aggressive with potential for a long ageing period that will improve its characteristics. Area : Castel del Monte Vine: Aglianico Grape. Production Area: hills in the northern zone of the Castel del Monte D.O.C. region. Soil Features: limestone soils. Growing System: double Guyot. Refining of the Wine: the wine is refined for 12 months in 225 litre French oak barriques in order to mature the wine without adding a dominant oak flavour. Further Grape Processing: vinification is done using traditional submerged'' manta system, carefully controlled in order to extract the noble tannins and the best of the varietal characteristics. Fermentation is carried out at controlled temperature around 28ºC. (6 x 75 cl)

Testing notes: deep, impenetrable purple-red colour; intense, fresh aroma of black berry fruits, star anise and violets; concentrated and full-bodied flavour with long spicy black berry fruit on the palate; close-knit but soft tannins in the finish. Area: Castel del Monte. Vine: 100% small-berried Nero di Troia. Area of Production: Castel del Monte D.O.C. area, extending over the rocky Murgia hills north-west of Bari. Vinification Process: maceration in stainless steel vats lasts for 20 days in order to obtain the greatest possible extraction of aromatic and colour substances. The considerable tannin content was softened with careful pump-overs and micro-oxygenation. Ageing: after fermentation the wine underwent malolatic fermentation in the new French oak barriques where it stayed for 14 months. The wine was neither cooled nor filtered and aged for a futher 6 months in bottles before sale. Planting density: 4,800 per hectare. Grapes per hectare: 70-80 quintals. Harvest Period: last ten days of October. (6 x 75 cl)

Bibendum CASA Rosso Castel del Monte DO Puglia from Italy, Apulia, Castel del Monte by Casa (12 x 75 cl)