Frappato - Mandrarosso - Sicily

PRODUCER First produced in 1999, the Mandrarossa wines come from a selection of the best sites from Cantine Settesoli’s 6,000 hectares of vineyard, situated in southwestern Sicily and planted with 32 different grape varieties. This range was conceived after the diverse soils of the vineyards were mapped, enabling the winemakers to focus on what were then ranked their best sites. Under the leadership of co-operative president Giuseppe Bursi, consultant winemaker Alberto Antonini has sought to improve viticulture, which in turn has resulted in better wines. Working with soil specialist Pedro Parra and head winemaker Mimmo De Gregorio, Alberto has selected 500 hectares of vineyard for the production of the Mandrarossa wines. These vineyards are situated close to the sea, where intense sunlight, moderating sea breezes, mild temperatures, multiple elevations and a myriad of different soil types combine to give the sort of grapes that Mimmo and Alberto are looking for. VINEYARDS The vineyards for this wine are located near Menfi on the south- western coast of Sicily, at an altitude of 250 metres above sea level. They are south and west facing and planted on sandy soils. Vines are Guyot trained, with a density of 4,300-5,000 plants per hectare. VINTAGE Autumn was characterised by rainfall, with temperatures remaining at the seasonal average until the beginning of February, when a cold spell arrived. Spring was fairly cool, with budburst occurring 10 days later than expected and growth slightly slower than usual, but regular nonetheless. Conditions throughout the summer were average, allowing for a uniform ripening. 10 days of intense heat in early August caused some stress to the vines, but temperatures soon returned to standard levels, allowing them to recover by harvest. Consequently, yields were down on recent years, but still of exceptional quality. VINIFICATION The harvest of refined grapes were performed using a mechanical night harvest, over a period of 40 days. This guaranteed the preservation of the quality of the grapes at an excellent level. Maceration and fermentation took place over the course of four to six days at 22-25°C. The wine was matured in steel vats for around four months before bottling. TASTING NOTES This wine is intense ruby red in colour with purple hues. On the nose, it has aromas of morello and marasca cherries, notes of small red berries and sweet spices. The palate is mineral and balanced with a long finish.