Country: Italy  Region: Trentino-Alto Adige  Vintage: 2012 Varietal: Red regional (Northern-Italian)  Category: Red Wine  Color:  Red Producer: Cesconi "The four Cesconi brothers have transformed their family estate in the village of Pressano into one of the region's most admired wineries. Whereas they previously sold all their fruit to the co-op at Lavis, today they are making some of Italy's most exciting white wines using organic farming. They have also carried out research into, and development of, better selections of Nosiola, keeping them at the top of their game.Stylistically, their whites are more intense and perfumed than most from Friuli, but without the weight or fat that some of the top Friuli wines have. Their reds, on the other hand, have more concentration than their Friulian counterparts.The Pinot Grigio is aromatic yet intense. We tend to prefer it with a bit of bottle age, when it starts to show complexity. Their Nosiola, a native Trentino grape variety, is zesty and aromatic, an ideal summer white. 'Olivar', a barrel fermented blend of Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, is one of Trentino's best white wines. Their reds have improved markedly in recent years, with the addition of Lagrein and Teroldego to the blend. 'Moratèl', a blend of Merlot, Lagrein, Cabernet Sauvignon and Teroldego, shows a ripeness and depth of flavour that is lacking in most reds from this region." Winemaker: Roberto and Lorenzo Cesconi Vineyards: The Lagrein grapes are grown on the warm, flat pastures of Pressano, where soils are deep and loose. The vines are pergola trained, with 3,500 vines per hectare. The Merlot, Cabernet, Teroldego and Syrah are grown in the Sarca valley, between the villages of Ceniga and Dro, 13km north of Lake Garda, at an altitude of 120m above sea level. Soils here are moderately chalky with 30% clay. The vines are on average 20 years old, both guyot and pergola trained, planted at an average density of 4,000 per hectare. Vinification: Fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel vats between 25-30°C. The fermentation lasted eight to ten days, with two weeks maceration for the Lagrein and Teroldego and three weeks for the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was then transferred into 225 litre French oak barrels (of which 20-30% was new oak) for 12 months of ageing. Malolactic fermentation took place in barrel. The wine was filtered before bottling and matured for six months in bottle before release. Tasting Notes: Youthful violet notes shine through this ruby coloured wine. The nose offers considerable aromatic complexity, with aromas of wild cherry, raspberry and blackcurrant. The palate is supple but supported by a firm tannic backbone that is typical of clay soils. Food Suggestion: Serve with spicy Italian sausage and sauteed leafy greens. Closure: Stelvin  ABV:13.5%   Classification:  IGT