BARBERA Oltrepò Pavese DOC GRAPES Barbera 90%, Croatina 10% PRODUCTION AREA Cultivated in vineyards owned by the Calvi family, situated on the hills of the Versa Valley in the communes of Canneto Pavese and Montù Beccaria. SOIL TYPES The soils found in our vineyards are predominantly clay and calcareous in nature. They possess a alkaline pH throughout, with elevated potential for cationic exchange. EXPOSUR: East to west facing ALTITUDE: From 140m to 200m above sea-level. GRADIENT: From 22% to 25% METHODS OF TRAINING Cordon training with simple Guyot pruning, typical of the region. The vineyards are planted with about 4800 vines per hectare. THE HARVEST After elimination of excess leaves to improve exposure of the bunches to the sun and careful assessment of ripening, the grapes are harvested by hand. VINIFICATION The grapes are picked into crates and then de-stemmed and gently crushed. After crushing, the must is fermented in thermostatically-controlled steel vats at 28 – 30° C for ten to twelve days, during which time the cap is punched down by hand. The must is then racked and soft-pressed to separate it from the pomace.After malo-lactic fermentation, it is transferred into stainless steel vats and kept at a constant temperature. It is bottled in an inert atmosphere and then aged in bottle where re-fermentation naturally occurs, rendering it slightly sparkling. CHARACTERISTICS It possesses a rich ruby-red colour; the perfume is intense and fragrant with notes of violets, bitter almonds, Amarena tart cherries, plums and berries; the flavour is dry, soft, stimulating and slightly sparkling. MATCHING WITH FOOD Salami, sausages, meat-filled ravioli, white meats, cheeses. Serve at 18° C