Drei Dona - Tenuta la Palazza Notturno Sangiovese 2011
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The property has been in the hands of the Drei Dona family since the last century, and although it has always been dedicated to producing Sangiovese grapes, it has undergone a radical transformation under the present owner, Count Claudio Drei Dona.
After acquiring a law degree and working in the insurance industry, Count Drei Dona, together with his son Enrico, has dedicated his efforts solely to the property, decisively guiding its activities towards increasingly high objectives.
Most of the 23 hectares of vineyards are planted with Sangiovese grapes, which were indigenous to the property. These old vines have been studied, selected and propagated to maintain La Palazza’s original clones.
The estate’s first wine, Pruno, is produced from these Sangiovese grapes along with a second wine, Notturno. In addition to Pruno and Notturno, selections of Chardonnay and Riesling (Il Tornese) and of Cabernet Sauvignon (Magnificat) are produced from two small vineyards. The Gran Riserva, Graf Noir, comes from another tiny vineyard of less than one hectare (two acres). It is a blend of three different grapes and is only produced in exceptional years.
The winery's working philosophy is extremely strict: the wines that Drei Dona produces are the result of exacting standards first in the vineyard, and then in the cellar. In this way, the winery starts with the highest quality grapes, and ferments and ages them in modern cellars to produce a wine that is a true expression of the Massa di Vecchiazzano Romagnan terroir. The winery also produces two aged grappas and an extra-virgin olive oil.
Just a note to explain the names of the wines: they all come from the names of the horses that the Drei Dona family also breeds in the farm.
Among Italy's elite red grape varieties, Sangiovese has the perfect intersection of bright red fruit and savory earthiness and is responsible for the best red wines of Tuscany. While it is best known as the chief component of Chianti, it is also the main grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and reaches the height of its power and intensity in the complex, long-lived Brunello di Montalcino. Somm Secret—Sangiovese doubles under the alias, Nielluccio, on the French island of Corsica where it produces distinctly floral and refreshing reds and rosés.
Extending from the Adriatic coast in the east, to the border of the Mediterranean Ligurian region in the west, Emilia Romagna is a large, central Italian region focused on a wide array of gastronomic specialties. The plains of Emilia host four well-defined subzones for its famous, lightly sparkling red, Lambrusco. The more coastal Romagna has the capacity to produce impressive wines from Sangiovese and Albana.