Prugnolo Valtellina Superiore DOCG 2015

Prugnolo is the Italian name of the Prunus Spinosa, or wild plum. This bush grows up close to the vineyards and its berries ripen close to harvest time. Grapes for this wine are grown at various altitudes, so they are harvested and vinified separately, depending on the altitude of the vineyard, allowing each grape to achieve its ideal ripeness.

About the Vineyard

In the northern Italian Alps, a patchwork of steeply terraced vineyards spans the northern side of a valley in Lombardy that stretches 25 miles east to west. The vineyards, all facing south, receive optimum sun exposure and are ideal for growing grapes. Winemaking here dates back to the first millennium and today, Valtellina is the only well-established and recognized wine region almost completely dedicated to growing and making Nebbiolo.

Wine Production

Prugnolo is aged in 3-6 year old barriques for 15 months, then is bottle aged for 6-9 months before release. Rainoldi strives to produce top quality wine that respects both family tradition, and the environment. Each parcel is harvested based on its altitude in order to maintain the right ripeness, and is vinified separately in a newly installed high-tech winemaking cellar. Due to the extreme steepness of each parcel in Valtellina, grapes are hand harvested and then carried out by helicopter.

Tasting Notes

Typical Nebbiolo aroma with pronounced hints of plum, cherries and hazelnut. On the palate it is full-bodied and mouthfilling which makes it an extremely well-balanced, elegant wine since its youth.

Food Pairing

This is a very versitile wine that can be paired with meat-based dishes and pastas. 

Vineyard & Production Info

Soil composition:

Silt and Sand

Training method:

Guyot Arch-trained

Exposure:

Southern

Average Vine Age:

55

Harvest time:

end of October

First vintage of this wine:

1998

Winemaking & Aging

Varietal composition:

100% Nebbiolo

Prefermentation technique:

Cold maceration

Time on its skins:

48-60 hours

Fermentation container:

Stainless steel tanks

Fermentation temperature:

50-54 °F

Maceration technique:

Punchdown and Pumpovers

Length of maceration:

10 days

Malolactic fermentation:

Yes

Fining agent:

Animal based

Type of aging container:

Barriques

Size of aging container:

225 hl

Age of aging container:

Three to Six years old

Type of oak:

French

Length of aging before bottling:

15 months

Length of bottle aging:

6-9 months

Analytical Data

Alcohol:

12.8 %

pH level:

3.6

Residual sugar:

1.0 g/L

Acidity:

5.6 g/L

Dry extract:

28.9 g/L