M�rke: Conti Formentini

CALIGO - Sauvignon
Collio DOC

Tracing the wine-making history of Conti Formentini would be quite an arduous task for us as we would have to range back to the early decades of the sixteenth century. More meaningful and important however is to look at its evolution, the path that led it to interpret typicality in a new way, in a more modern and contemporary style that expresses the "real Collio" and all its values, making it possible to savour and exalt the unique characteristic of the vines and allow them to further express their already powerful personality. Its collaboration with the 30 historical vine-growers and years of studies and experimentation, have allowed the Cellar to achieve new levels of oenological maturity founded on the decision to opt for varietal purity and the rejection of complementary vines.

The grapes: 100% sauvignon.

The vineyard: selected vines on the hills in the commune of San Floriano del Collio, at an average height of 200 metres a.s.l.; the crus of greatest prestige are those that are not exposed fully south as this allows the grapes to grow protected from the sun. This vine, particularly delicate and with quite a particular aroma, would suffer from excessive exposure. The density per hectare is about 4,500 vines; the average grape crop is 8/8.5 tonnes/hectare, with a yield in wine of about 65%.

Vinification: the grapes, harvested by hand, ripe and intact, around the beginning of September, are placed in plateaux and brought to a specially dedicated part of the cellar. Here they are lowered to a temperature below 0ºC so as to partially freeze the grapes and allow noble ice crystals to form inside them. The action of the cold, which lasts about one week, breaks the cells of the skins and the layers immediately below from the inside, thereby permitting greater extraction of the aromatic substances concentrated there and allowing them to dissolve in the grape while it is still intact. The grapes are then slowly raised to the cellar temperature and pressed, and alcoholic fermentation begins. This technique exalts the typical intensity and quality of this vine.

The wine: the colour is clear bright golden; a very intense perfume, delicate but rich and particularly elegant, with dominant notes of fig leaves and nettles, and hints of mature melon and butter; a fine, full and very tasty flavour, smooth but fresh and lively, with an attractive finish of persistent exotic fruit.

Analytical data: 13.10% alcohol; 5.30 g/l total acidity; 3.30 pH ; 3.5 g/l sugar; 18.0 g/l dry extract.

Optimum conservation: 2-3 years in bottles laid on their sides in a cool dark environment.

Gastronomic combinations: dishes based on fine vegetables such as asparagus and artichokes, omelettes, and sea bass in salt.

Serving temperature: 10-12° C.

Curiosities: In Friuli dialect, Caligo means Mist, a name that suggests sensations of cold and ice closely linked to the
innovative winemaking technique used.