Clivo Altura

Varietal/Blend: Sangiovese

Vineyard Area: From vines planted on very old and restored dry-stack terraces in the village of Vagliali.

Soil: Schist-limestone

Elevation: 330 meters

Exposure: North

Farming Practice: Organic

Vinification: Grapes are harvested by hand and fermented in a one-ton steel vat using 50% whole clusters. Maceration lasts three weeks (no sulfur additions). The wine is then moved to barrels where malolactic fermentation occurs. One sulfur addition is made after malolactic conversion with minimal rackings. William is seeking out the savory and fine-grained tannins from the whole bunches.

Maturation: 16 months in French oak barrels of mostly one previous wine. No filtration.

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Varietal/Blend: Pinot Nero

Vineyard Area: The Pinot Nero vineyard, near Castello di Fosini, is planted in the middle of a 2000-hectare forest at 700 meters above sea level. This spot is too cool for Sangiovese and the fruit fully ripens quite late into the growing season. The vines were planted in the early-2000s.

Soil: Schist

Elevation: 700 meters

Farming Practice: Organic

Vinification: Picked by hand and fermented using 50% whole clusters (two-week maceration).

Maturation: Aged in 600-liter new tonneaux and small, French oak barrels of one previous wine. From William: "You’ll feel in the nose a bit of the new good oak flavor, but in the mouth, it's totally balanced and really soft and elegant. The Pinot Noir tends to have a tiny bit of reduction but after two minutes it opens up."

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