2021 Sasso Pinot Noir
Our 2021 Sasso Pinot Noir has received a gold medal at the Decanter World Wine Awards!
'Now in its 20th year, Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) has firmly established itself as the world’s largest and most influential wine competition. Respected globally for its rigorous judging process and world-class judges, DWWA results are trusted internationally by both trade and consumers.
The 20th edition of the competition saw 236 international wine experts, from 30 countries, including 53 Masters of Wine and 16 Master Sommeliers evaluate 18,250 wines from 57 countries.
'In the glass the 2021 Sasso shows a vibrant medium ruby in colour. It has a complex nose with notes of sichuan peppercorn, clove, red apple skins, orange and red cherries. The palate is distinctly fine and the fruit beautifully balances between powerful and restrained. Saffron, cut fennel, dried herbs, and pink peppercorns also feature on the palate. The bright acidity along with the silky mouthfeel provides the finishing touch. Pair the 2021 Sasso with truffle, roast duck or pork. Drinking beautifully now the wine will benefit from 10+ years of cellaring.'
The word Sasso means stone in Italian, chosen for this wine due to the predominantly stoney and gravelly soils we have in our vineyard. It is a single site wine coming from three distinct plots in our vineyard at Granton in the Derwent Valley. We are blessed to have such different soil types in our cool Derwent Valley site. This wine is the truest expression of our terroir.
The geology of the plots varies considerably from grey silty gravel over gravelly clay in the Ruscello plot to red chalky clay over limestone in La Roccia plot with the Il Giardino plot having a heavier greyish black clay topsoil over chalk and gravelly clay. The elevation of these plots is 100m above sea level with a 10 to 15 degree north to north east aspect to ensure a high level of phenolic maturity at harvest.
The early releases of Sasso mostly came from the Ruscello plot producing fine boned ethereal Pinot with immediate appeal and lovely softness. In the last three vintages we have introduced the other two plots into the blend to provide greater structure and palate length provided by the heavier soils.
The plots have a vine density of 4500 vines per hectare and are intensively manicured by hand with multiple passes throughout the year to ensure perfect sun exposure, cane positioning and fruit load. Green thinning is extensive for Sasso with a maximum yield of 4 tonnes per hectare, often less. This tiny yield ensures superb and profound concentration, a hallmark of this wine. These plots have been grown Organically/Biodynamically since 2010 and Stefano Lubiana Wines has been certified biodynamic since 2013.
With all the attention and hard work done in the vineyard each year the winemaking takes a backstep. With such clean ripe fruit, winemaking is a straightforward process with no fancy tricks or additions. Most ferments are 100% whole bunch with a few whole berry ferments for blending. All ferments are wild and occur in small open fermenters. The wines are matured in French barriques in our underground cellar for 12 months before bottling on site.
