Costa Toscana Bianco IGT “Sondraia” 2020 – Poggio al Tesoro

The grapes to produce the Costa Toscana Bianco IGT “Sondraia” Poggio al Tesoro were harvested during the night to preserve the freshness and acidity levels. Once at the winery, the grapes are cooled before undergoing soft pressing. Fermentation took place with skin contact in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks at 14-16 ̊C for 12 days. Towards the end of the fermentation process the wine is moved to complete the fermentation in stainless-steel vats, terracotta amphorae and French oak barrels. No Malolactic fermentation occurred. The wine is then aged in French oak barrels (30%), amphora (20%) and stainless steel vats (50%) on fine lees with battonage until August of the following year. At the end of the ageing process the wine is blended in stainless steel talks, where it rests for a few months before bottling. The wine is then aged in bottle for another 12 months before release. 

The fruit for this wine was sourced from the 12 hectare Le Sondraie vineyard situated 25 metres above sea level in the “Soprastrada” area of Bolgheri in the village of Castagneto Carducci. Here soils are free draining, a mixture of clay and sandy silt, with high levels of magnesium and iron. With a density of 8,000 vines per hectare, the vines are Guyot trained and have an average age of 13 years.

Poggio al Tesoro is a 70 hectare property in Bolgheri acquired in 2002 by the Allegrini family. It is 50 hectares in size and is planted with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and a small amount of Vermentino. All of the Poggio al Tesoro vineyards are located “soprastrada”, the area to the east of the Bolgherese road that is considered the best spot in Bolgheri. Soils here are complex and varied thanks to minerals brought through centuries by the Seggio stream from the nearby hillsides. A careful mapping of the soil has allowed Allegrini to plant the best variety for each plot. This attention to details continues today with a sustainable and organic approach in the vineyard and mini – vinifications in the winery, where different vessels and techniques are used in order to get the best out of each variety and each plot. This approach is evident when tasting the wines: every year the quality is improving and the wines express the uniqueness of the Bolgheri territory.