San Silvestro Appassimento Piemonte Barbera 2022

The Barbera grapes for this ‘appassimento’ method wine come from the northern banks of Tanaro River, in Piedmont. The site was chosen specifically, as the soils are sandy and dry with good mineral content which do not require much treatment. The cooler climate of the area, (compared to the traditional Langhe area) and the influence of the Tanaro River creates a specific microclimate which suits this method of production. The cooler climate also naturally reduces the need for treatments, which are only used when absolutely necessary. The Barbera variety produces rich and textured fruit, and this site produces grapes with a naturally enhanced sugar concentration, a strong character and a delicately spicy element. The grapes are hand-harvested into small, wooden baskets which are then stacked on top of each other to form ‘columns’ and placed in a fruit shed, which provides the perfect conditions to dry-age the whole-clusters of grapes and concentrate the sugars.

Once the grapes were air-dried, they were carefully sorted, gently crushed and destemmed. Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks at a controlled temperatures of 28 to 30°C. Maceration on the skins lasted for two weeks, with daily pump-overs of the cap, ensuring the desired levels of extraction of colour and flavours. 30% was matured in French oak tonneaux of second-use for six months.