Montelio’s “Costarsa” takes its name from “costa arsa” - “burnt crest” in English – and is made of Pinot Noir grapes cultivated in two vineyards, Castellazzo and Vignone I, both located in the Codevilla municipality.
In 1983 and 2000 respectively, 4,000 vines per hectare of French Pinot Noir clones specially selected for fermentation with the skin were bedded out, for a total surface of 2.4 hectares.
Pinot Noir
Harvesting is carried out only during the coolest hours of the day; it is made by hand, with bunch selection, constantly monitoring the ripeness level, usually at the end of August/ beginning of September. Vineyards are located near the farm buildings, allowing to bring the grapes to the cellar shortly after picking up. Here they are de-stemmed and left on the skins for 10/12 days, with daily pumping-up over the cap and delastage (cooling of the must) in order to keep fermentation under control, and at the same time to reach the maximum of color extraction, since Pinot Noir’s color usually lacks in intensity.
After drawing off the lees, two or three weekly rackings. Then ageing starts, part of the wine rests for about 15/18 months in French third-year barriques (from Allier), and the remaining quantity in second-year tonneaux (500 liters), first for malolactic fermentation then for ageing. The wine, after blending, is bottled in the family-shaped bottle, and left to rest for at least 6 months before sale.
Alcohol content: 13 % vol.
Pinot Noir has a pale ruby red color, translucent, with orange hues. A very wide range of aromas; cranberry, cherry, blackcurrant, vanilla, clove and goudron. The flavor is very subtle, velvety, a caress in your mouth, and aromatically lingering on the finish. It’s an approachable yet very sophisticated wine.
It is light enough for salmon, but complex enough to hold up to some richer meat including lasagne with duck sauce, stuffed boned guinea-hen, oven-baked meat rack, and in general with feather game (such as pheasant, duck).
Serving temperature 18°C
75 cl
