In the latter part of 2000, the Folonari family redefined its company structure. The subdivision of the estate vineyards and reapportionment of brands resulted in the creation of two new entities of which Tenute Ambrogio Folonari is one. The Tenute del Cabreo are among this entity's holdings, and consist of two properties in the Greve district: the Fattoria di Zano and the Casa di Sala, which together support 125 acres of vines yielding exclusively estate produced wines.
The Fattoria di Zano, originally purchased by the Folonari family in 1967, overlooks the village of Greve from the crest of a steep hillside and is the source of grapes for the super Tuscan wine Cabreo Il Borgo. The estate of Casa di Sala, near Panzano south of Greve, first came into production under lease to the family in 1980 and was later purchased. Highly selected fruit from this estate yields Cabreo La Pietra, an elegant, barrique-fermented Chardonnay. The term "cabreo" refers to old, hand-drawn Tuscan maps; "pietra" is translated as "stone."
The vineyards of Casa di Sala from which Cabreo La Pietra is produced lie at an altitude of 14,000 to 15,000 feet and are planted to 25-year old Chardonnay vines at a density of 2,800 to 3,300 vines per hectare (1,133 to 1,335 vines per acre). The grapes are usually harvested in mid-September and chilled for four to five hours before pressing. Focus is on the most gentle treatment possible of the grapes during production.
The destemming process uses two conduits which lead into a perforated cylinder in which the skins are separated from the stems without shredding. The fruit is gently pressed at a maximum of 0.2 atmospheres pressure and the must cold racked for 24 hours before being drained of gross lees and solids. Both alcoholic and malolactic fermentations are carried out in French oak "carati," or barriques, of which 50 to 80 percent are new and the balance comprised of a combination of one and two years' use all French oak of primarily Allier origin with a small percentage of Limousin. The wine remains in cask, with periodic "bātonnage" for a duration varying from two to four months, and thereafter completes its aging period of eight to twelve months in oak. After bottling, the wine remains in the cellar for a minimum of six months prior to release.
The result of research and experimentation with the Chardonnay vine, Cabreo La Pietra was conceived of as an IGT, or "Indicazione Geografica Tipica," wine in order to express the innovation and creativity of contemporary Tuscan winemaking and to exploit Tuscany's enormous potential to produce excellent quality wines. Cabreo La Pietra is bright pale gold in color with a marked vanilla nose well integrated with pure, elegant varietal aromas and notes of spice. Very fresh on the palate with rich, buttery varietal fruit, firm backbone and lovely acidic balance, it finishes with a clean, smooth impression of intensity. |
