2018 Antoniotti - Bramaterra (750ml)

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Odilio and Mattia Antoniotti have farmed in the Bramaterra and Costa della Sesia for generations. Bramaterra and Costa della Sesia are such tiny wine regions that only 8 winemakers produce wine in Bramaterra, and 20 work in Costa della Sesia. The only means of reaching the vineyard sites are via a tiny, steep, broken road in a bouncy 4x4. This is yet another example of heroic viticulture.

Importer: "Both Bramaterra and Costa della Sesia are Nebbiolo dominant, but the wines are always blended with various amounts of Croatina, Vespolina and Uva Rara depending on the vintage. Bramaterra needs to be aged at least 22 months in barrel before bottling; the Antoniotti do 30 months. Their Coste della Sesia ages for 18 months before bottling.

The soils here are volcanic porphyry, a type of granite rich in minerals. The vineyard work is done using guyot training, only sulfur and copper treatments at minimal levels, organic compost but no fertilizers. Grapes are picked by hand, destemmed, fermented in underground cement tanks for about 12-14 days, racked into stainless steel for malo and put into barrels around the end of December (or left in stainless in the case of "Pramartel"). There is no fining or filtration. Sulfur use has lowered over the years: the Antoniotti currently only add some on their harvest before vinification in order to block any insects or leaves to interfere with the fermentation."