Star Listing. Fleshy, very complex in flavor, rich and long on the finish. (Jan12 2003)
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Dense, concentrated wild cherry fruit leads into aromatic impressions of violet, spice, walnut and tea in this full-bodied, single-vineyard wine of firm yet sweetly ripe tannic presence and firm, slightly austere acidic underpinning. The wine’s underlying structure promises potential for extended aging.
Wine maker notes
Of the two Nardi estates within the commune of Montalcino, the Manachiara estate is the more recent and the smaller. Purchased in 1962, it lies in the southeast corner of Montalcino near Castelnuovo dell’Abate and covers 505 acres. The ”podere” of Pinzale, Stercolati and Colombaio, as well as the vineyard of Manachiara proper, lie within this estate. The estate vineyards cover 95 acres and are situated at an altitude ranging from 919 to 1,279 feet at varying exposures. Most of these vineyard parcels contribute to the production of Nardi’s classic Brunello di Montalcino or Rosso di Montalcino.
The vines of the Manachiara vineyard, the oldest of the estate, are thought to be rougly 45 years of age and occupy an extraordinary, seventeen-acre microclimate named ”sunny morning,” exposed to the southeast and suggesting its illumination from early morning through late afternoon. Whereas the dominant soil profile of the estate is sand with Pliocene clay content, the Manachiara vineyard also shows a quartz and calcium content and particularly good drainage which, with the advanced age of its vines, set it apart from the other vineyard parcels.
Following a manual harvest, fermentation is initiated in stainless steel tanks at a temperature of 29-32° C (84-90° F), with skin contact lasting from eighteen to twenty-two days. The cap of skins is regularly submerged via various methods. According to the vintage characteristics, the wine is aged in primarily new French Allier barriques for 24 months followed by bottle fining.
