Uceline

LABEL
The label is integrated into the bottle and covers it all around, losing itself in it, becoming as one with the wine; faces appear on it and one can reads parts of phrases. The people that appear express, with their opinions, the identity and peculiarity of this extraordinary fruit of the vines, subject of a heartfelt and enthralling research. They are the men and women who have contributed to rediscovering and saving “uvalino” and their messages are bits of history. The name Uceline gets lost and disintegrates; the main players again become the wine itself and the people who make it.

NAME
The name has ancient origins. In the Astesana area this name was already used in the 17th century for red grapes of a extremely late-ripening vine that may well have been uvalino or one of its ancestors, derived presumably from the fact that, as they ripened so late in the season, they were the last grapes to be harvested and were in large part eaten by birds.

VINE
“uvalino”, a vine of ancient tradition and cultivation that has now been forgotten and has almost disappeared completely.
Introduced initially into our experimental vineyard, where it has been subjected to strict scientific and agronomic research.

HARVESTING
Harvesting is carried out towards the end of October when the grape reaches a perfect ripeness. The grape bunches, hand-picked and scrupulously selected, are put into small, perforated baskets and then placed in a well-ventilated, temperature-controlled fruit store, where they are left for over a month and undergo a slight overripening and withering.

VINIFICATION
The must obtained from the pressing and partial destalking is sent off for fermentation. Normally this takes place very slowly and can last for over 20 days. The temperature is never too high (22-25°C), and frequent stirrings enable the total dissolution of the anthocyans and the various phenolic components that, for this vine, play a very important role. Malolactic fermentation and, later, the various stages of maturation of the wine take place in prized 5-hectolitre oak barrels.

REFINEMENT AND STORAGE
The bottles are laid to rest for at least a year before being marketed.
Thanks to the vine’s special attributes, this wine, if kept at the right temperature, can continue to refine for many years to come, offering its admirers sensations of extraordinary fineness.

ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS
Magnificent intense purple-red colour with lovely garnet-red hues that vary according to the vintage and the period of maturation.
Wide-ranging and intense bouquet of ripe fruit and sweet spices, really pleasant and long-lasting sensations.
A dry, warm and well-balanced taste. Pleasing acidulous with highlighted tannins that become sweeter as the wine matures. A special wine, ennobled by a lengthy, intense aromatic persistence.

ALCOHOL CONTENT
14.5 %.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS AND ACCOMPANIMENTS
Excellent as a conversational wine. Ideal with substantial meat and game dishes. Perfect with highly mature cheese.
It is best served at a temperature of 18°C. in large tulip glasses with a slightly flared rim.