For the first time, our prized Appassimento is available online
Following the classic method of Appassimento, this wine is vinified from carefully selected grapes and dried according to tradition. The resulting wine is bulky, robust, full bodied and round, tannic, with a high alcohol content at 16 %.
Tasting Notes
Earthy and fruity nuances play off against each other: cassis, blackberry, subtle
oak and bittersweet chocolate.
Vineyard Notes
A cool and wet spring saw frost late in the season. A warm early-summer with a wet mid-summer eventually gave way to above normal temperatures through August. The later ripening varietal used in our Appassimento - Aglianico, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon - benefited from an extended season while the Cabernet Franc delivered good fruit, as per expectations. The growing season set the background on the canvas for our Master winemaker to employ his artistry in crafting this fantastic expression of the classic method of Appassimento.
Production Notes
All varietals were given the time they required on the vines to achieve their maximum potential. Great care was taken in hand picking these and laying out for drying, in an effort to retain the greatest quantity for further processing; drying to place over three months. The wine was aged in oak for three years, moved to stainless steel tanks for stabilization for six months and, another six months in bottle before release.
Winemaker's Notes
To refer to this wine as special is an understatement. We set out many years ago on the journey to crafting Appassimento wines and it's a joy to realize this ambition. From the planting of the vines, and cultivating these over many years, to devising the system to best create these wines of distinction. The very name, Appassimento, conjures images of the challenges, the creative leaps we've taken, and the comradery gained in our team in creating this wine.
The 2013 is our second vintage and I'm confident it will surpass the expectations of those unfamiliar with the heights reached in winemaking in the Niagara Peninsula.
Wine Specs
Vintage: 2013
Varieties: Aglianico, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc
Appelation: Vinemount Ridge
Residual Sugar: 5.4 g/L
Alcohol: 16 %
