An iconic Sauvignon Blanc, grown in the Collio's ancient hills
COLLIO GORIZIANO, Italy, Sept. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Attems, Marchesi Frescobaldi Group's wine estate in Italy's Friuli region, proudly announces the release of its Cicinis 2023 to the international marketplace. Straw yellow in appearance, this new vintage features a complex array of aromas, a supple, appealing structure on the palate, and a lingering, savoury finish.
The 100-percent-Sauvignon Blanc Cicinis beautifully reflects its Collio terroir. ade from quality-selected grapes grown in the Attems vineyards, located on the terraced Cicinis hill at the base of Monte Calvario (Podgora) in the Collio Goriziano region. The sand- and silt-rich soils come from weathered sandstone known locally as ponca, formed in the Eocene era over a pre-existing seabed. The unique combination of soils, prime vineyard orientation, and ideal climate conditions yield a Sauvignon Blanc distinguished by unique sensory qualities and an easily recognized style.
Cicinis is born ons an estate of 68 hectares, with 44 in vineyards and the rest in woodland, all contributing to significant biodiversity. Equally important is the nearby Adriatic Sea, with its reflected light providing intensive sunlight to the vines and greatly increasing their vigour. Green manure is used in the vineyard to improve soil structure and increase organic material. Legumes such as peas, alfalfa, and clover deposit atmospheric nitrogen in the soil, while various species of grass improve erosion and prevent water pooling. Depending on soil type, other specific plants such as phacelia may be added to attract pollinators.
The Guyot training method, and a layout density of 6,250 vines per hectare, also contribute to the exceptional quality of this wine and its ageing potential.
Cicinis 2023 is a radiant straw yellow color. On the nose, is a complex, elegant bouquet of honeysuckle blossom, bergamot, and percoca peach, which meld into a dense, spicy scent of toasted almonds and smoky oak. On the palate, Cicnis shows a surprisingly seductive body, bolstered by crisp, tasty acidity that enlivens its finish, infused by notes of pineapple, guava, white pepper, and sage.
VINIFICATION
The grapes are harvested at dawn and pressed whole, with the utmost care. The free-run must obtained is left to clarify by static decantation for 24–48 hours. This is followed by alcoholic fermentation, 40% of which takes place in our egg-shaped cement tanks, exclusively used for this wine, 10% in new barriques and the remaining 50% in second and third passage barriques and tonneaux. The Cicinis is then refined in these containers, feasting on the whole lees, until the wine is ready for bottling. Over the course of 7 months, the wine matures at low temperatures, without malolactic fermentation.
SEASONAL TREND
The 2023 vintage began with a rainy January and a dry, cold February. The late winter and early spring was favourable for budding in keeping with the historical average for the vineyards of Cicinis hill. Spring saw frequent rainfall which kept us particularly busy at this early stage of growth. The painstaking selection of shoots, leaving the green manure for longer and good ventilation on dry days helped to keep the vineyard in healthy balance. The summer was hot but never scorching, with several variouslyintense rainfalls that periodically rehydrated the soil. The maturation of our Collio Sauvignon picked up sharply in September. The terraces most exposed to the sun were harvested at the beginning of the month while the bulk of the harvest took place in mid-September.
ABOUT ATTEMS
Deeply-rooted in local history yet with its gaze always fixed solidly on the future, Attems lies in the Collio Goriziano, in the extreme east of the Friuli region. It has always faithfully interpreted its territory with an authentic yet contemporary style, hallmarks of a portfolio of much-coveted wines that are both elegant and distinctly identified with their world-renowned growing area. The 44 hectares of vineyards, owned since 2000 by the Frescobaldi family, lie at an average elevation of 130 metres, are planted to Ribolla Gialla, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay. Attems produces Cicinis, an elegant, intense Collio DOC Sauvignon Blanc; Trebes, a Collio DOC Ribolla Gialla with a vibrant acidity and firm structure; Pinot Grigio Ramato, a Friuli DOC, velvet smooth and citrus-edged; a Friuli DOC Pinot Grigio; and Venezia Giulia IGT versions of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Ribolla Gialla.
Media Contact
Noemi Mengo, Colangelo & Partners, (646) 624-2885, [email protected]
SOURCE Attems
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