Croatina "Brunaldo" 2017 Alemat

The Monferrato DOC red wine "Brunaldo" is produced by the Alemat winery with pure Croatina grapes, a variety that has been widespread in northern Italy since the Middle Ages and is still used today to make wine either on its own or in blends with other grape varieties. Alemat is a small family-run winery, founded just a few years ago, in 2012, from Savio's passion for wine, together with his wife and their two sons, a serious, no-frills business, winemakers by choice, for the simple reason that they have no winemaking background. Brunaldo' is a red wine for medium ageing, an elegant and full-bodied version of the Croatina grape, with complex, smooth and enveloping aromas of fruit and spices. The vineyards from which this label comes are located in the municipality of Penango in Monferrato, in a hilly area at about 250 metres above sea level, cool and ventilated, with an eastern exposure, characterised by reddish soils, very poor in organic substances and minerals. The Brunaldo grapes are harvested by hand around mid-October, with careful selection of the bunches. The Croatina vine is very productive and it is often necessary to do a green harvest in August, removing some bunches in order to obtain a uniform sugar level and perfect ripening of the fruit remaining on the vine. After destemming and crushing, fermentation takes place in steel vats at a controlled temperature of 28°C, with the must remaining in contact with the skins for 8-10 days. At the end of alcoholic fermentation, malolactic fermentation is promoted by controlling the temperature to 20°C. The wine remains in wood for about 18 months, then it is bottled and aged in glass for another 4-6 months. "Brunaldo has an intense ruby red colour with violet reflections. Its bouquet is rich and complex, spicy at first, then evolving into softer, enveloping notes of red fruits such as plums and ripe cherries, enriched by a hint of vanilla in the finish. On the palate, the taste is full and of great intensity, with a dense yet soft and round texture to the touch, and finishes with a long persistence and sapidity, enhanced by a pleasant aftertaste that brings back the spicy and sweet scent of ripe fruit. Brunaldo is the ideal companion for hors d'oeuvres, cured meats, highly structured first courses, meats and cheeses that are not too mature.