Wine Article

Vineyard: St. Helena Estate
Blend Composition: 100% Sagrantino
Finished pH: 3.8
Finished TA: 4.9 g/L
Alcohol by Volume: 13.9 %
Production: 120 cases

Vintage: Cool temperatures in 2010 led to a long growing season. A post-verasion heat spike briefly accelerated ripening before cooler than normal temperatures returned, allowing the grapes to ripen at their leisure. Sagrantino is always a late ripener and in 2010 it was again one of the last varietals to come into the winery.

Winemaking: Benessere's Sagrantino was hand-picked and destemmed into a small open-top fermentor. The must was gently punched down throughout the 27-day maceration. The fermented wine went into new and once-used French oak barrels for 24 months maturation before bottling without fining or filtration.