Daniele Ricci once said that it is better to cultivate Timorasso vineyards alone if possible. The variety is so complicated to cultivate that experience and knowledge of the individual characteristics of the vines are beneficial.
Today, his son Mattia, who is well trained in this area, usually helps him, but otherwise the care of the almost 30,000 Timorasso vines is mainly a matter for the boss. Daniele knows Timorasso like no other and is aware of its extreme vigour, often irritatingly early ripening and susceptibility to botrytis. However, he also knows the answers to these challenges and these can be seen year after year in the San Leto Blu.
The grapes for San Leto Blu come from a vineyard planted in the late 1980s. They are harvested late and macerated for three days, never breaking through the cap so as not to extract too much tannin. Once pressed, the wine is transferred to acacia barrels, where it matures for a year before being bottled unfiltered for a further two years to find its final form.
Style
The late harvest and subsequent maceration ensure a complex but harmonious flavour profile. The acidity is lively but never intrusive, the tannins mellow and delicate. The texture is creamy, juicy and soft (a friend once said that the San Leto reminded him of Alsatian Rieslings, although in our opinion the acidity is more pronounced in Daniele's wine and gives it more direction). The finish is long, compact and focused and clearly characterised by yellow fruit, stones and herbs.
Data sheet
Grape variety: 100% Timorasso
Vineyard: San Leto
Harvest: By hand
Fermentation: spontaneous | wild yeasts, three-day maceration without crushing the grapes
Ageing: 1 year in used acacia barrels, 2 years in the bottle
Filtration: no
SO₂: < 50mg/litre
Alcohol content: 14% vol.
Closure: Natural cork
Drinking temperature: 10-12 °C
Perfect drinking maturity: from now - 2030
Content and price per litre: 0.75/l (€33.62/l)
Bottle format: 0.75 litre
All the winegrowers listed on Vinonudo work with compost, organic fertilisers and natural preparations in their vineyards and do not use herbicides, pesticides or artificial fertilisers.
