Pecchenino Psea Brut Pas Dose 2019, Alta Langa DOCG, Italy

The Alta Langa was once home to numerous vineyards on the sunniest slopes of its hills. The advent of phylloxera and the economic difficulties of the post-war period led to the sacrifice of viticulture in favor of coriculture, hazelnut cultivation, fields and pastures. In recent years there has been a return to this wild and impervious land, behind a growing interest in white wines and sparkling wines. For the Pecchenino family, Alta Langa represents the most recent investment. In the municipality of Bossolasco, in the locality of Pezzea, there are 7 hectares of property and a farmhouse, purchased starting from 2010. Here, given the altitude (700 m a.s.l.) and the calcareous soils, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling find their maximum expression. Grape varieties: 65% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay. Vinification: from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from vineyards at 700 m above sea level in the municipality of Bossolasco. The soil is medium-textured, composed of silt, clay, sand, with whitish calcareous marl. The terrain, exposed to the south-east, is very steep, as is typically the terrain of the Alta Langa. The harvested grapes are cooled in the cell to about 12°C before being softly pressed. The must obtained, after an initial decantation, is left to ferment in steel tanks at 16°C. At the end of fermentation, the wine is decanted partly into barriques, partly into barrels, where it remains for about 9 months in contact with fine lees, with repeated battonages. It is then decanted into steel tanks and prepared for the draught phase (bottling for the second fermentation). Ageing: the bottles are then stored lying down for over 36 months at a temperature of 14/15°C in contact with the yeasts. After the riddling phase (rotation of the bottle to bring the solid residues to the neck), the bottles are disgorged to remove the crown cork and the fermentation lees. The bottle is then topped up with the same wine and corked with a cork, without adding (pas dosè). Description: in the glass it has a bright straw yellow color. The nose is floral and fragrant, with hints of bread crust, pastry biscuits, croissants, toasted hazelnut. On the palate it is enveloping and elegant, with a fresh and mineral acidity that gives finesse to the palate. The perlage is fine and enveloping.