A gradual and careful processTypicity of grapes and terroir
The vinification techniques adopted for Terriccio wines are very straightforward. The objective is to exalt, at every stage of winemaking, the original characteristics of the grapes used, and the very special inflection that the wine acquires from its territory of origin.
After alcoholic fermentation, the wine remains in contact with the skins at a controlled temperature of 30°C for 12-15 days. Gentle cap-breaking and rack-and-return techniques are employed during this time. After this stage, each variety and each parcel is transferred without clarification into small barrels of French oak – 50% new in the case of Tassinaia and mostly a 100% new for Lupicaia.
The wines remain in wood before blending for an average of 14 months, in the case of Tassinaia, and 18 months for the Merlot, Cabernet, Syrah and Petit - Verdot that will go respectively into Lupicaia and Castello del Terriccio. Each wine is given sufficient time to mature and express its character to the full while leaving plenty of room for evolution and improvement in bottle. Before bottling, the reds stay in steel for several months, then age up to 12 months more in the bottle before being released.
The estate's overall production is currently about 200,000 bottles a year, including 30,000 bottles of Lupicaia and 100,000 of Tassinaia.
Vinification
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