Wine Production

Production begins with harvest in early October. Vineyards are split into lots by maturation and variety, then harvested accordingly. Bunches of grapes plucked from the vines are protected from bruising by placement in small 15kg picking boxes. In the cellar, grape stems are carefully removed and whole grapes are placed in stainless steel fermentation tanks.

Festeggiata grapes are not crushed in the traditional fashion; whole berries are allowed to ferment within their own skins. Bursting open, they deliver juices that have intense color and complex fruit. After twenty days skins are lightly pressed to extract residual juices, very little pressure is applied to minimize the breaking of grape seeds, which could release a bitter taste into the wine.

After thirty days in the cellar, when our slow, cool, fermentation process is complete, the wine is moved into small French oak barrels where it remains for twelve months. Nose and palate are enhanced by interaction with the French oak, giving Festeggiata its beautiful soft structure. Wine is then transferred to large oak casks where it continues to mature. At the right time, complementary wine lots are combined in large tanks to marry flavors and aromas before bottling. When safely in the bottle, Festeggiata is stored for twelve months to regain the equilibrium lost during processing.

There is no substitute for aging when making a great Italian wine; accordingly, our vintages are at least four years old when released from the cellar.