Spumante Ribolla Gialla Col Fondo NV – Castel San Mauro

The Spumante Ribolla Gialla Col Fondo Castel San Mauro is made with 80% Ribolla Gialla 20% Chardonnay. Early picked Chardonnay from a 40 year old vineyard and massal selection of Ribolla Gialla fermented with wild yeasts and partly in marble. Unfiltered and bottled for refermentation, again with wild yeasts and only natural grape sugers added. After at least 9 months the wine is sold without disgorgement and any additions – sugar is under 0.5g/l – on its lees.

Castel san Mauro is located on the Italian north-eastern hills embracing Gorizia, known as Collio. It extends over an area of 25 hectares of which 6.5 are with vines. The south-facing land, among the woods of Mount Sabotino and the meadows that slope down towards the Isonzo River, its type consisting of marl and sandstone (Ponca) are the conditions that favour the cultivation of the vine since ancient times. From the mid Twentieth Century the farm belongs to the family of the current owner, Manuele Mauri. In 1958, Manuele’s Grandfather Gilberto began renovating the old villa and the old vineyards. Since taking over, Manuele has moved to organic and biodynamic farming practises, all to limit intervention. The 60 year old vines also provide the stock for the selection of new plants. Using raw material from nearby Aurisina on the coast Manuele has developed the world’s first marble tank fermentation system. Marble is hygienic, breathable, inert and imperceptible with respect to the liquid contained in it, it protects the vinification and ripening of wine from bacterial contamination, intrusion of wood components and roasting of stalks. The tank walls are modular allowing each container volume to be altered in respect of its contents and dismantled for cleaning and moving.