Azienda Vitivinicola 'La Montata'
Antonio Baffioni
Loc. MONTATA
61048 - Sant'Angelo in Vado (PU)
Marche - ITALIA
Azienda Vitivinicola
‘La Montata’
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Smoking grapes
Smoking grapes - The amateur video shows how in a few minutes you can get smoke from the chimney that invades the grape drying room. This room can be visited from November to February at our company by reservation, both individual and group.
Wild Cherry Wine
The Wild Cherry has been known for centuries throughout the Montefeltro district, perhaps introduced by migrants from the east, who settled in our territory after the Plague of 1300 that decimated the workforce in the Marche feudal areas.
The spontaneous plant has a bush-like appearance due to the yearly shoots that stem straight from the roots, then eliminated to strengthen the main stalk that grows to impressive heights (even 8/10 metres) when grown separately in a palace with enough sun exposure, the leaves are small, elongated and drop-shaped, dark green in colour; the fruit is dark red and, as the internal pulp during ripening, with a sour pip, rich in tannin.
It possesses natural defences and does not require human processing, even if some treat it for the cherry fruit fly that deposits its eggs; this factor, according to our experience, is only partially true, and can be risky in the phases of extra-ripening of the fruit.
One of the characteristics of the plant is the early blossoming, which takes place in early April and, given the altitude, a late frost can compromise its root growth.
The plant has a remarkable bloom and in favourable climatic conditions its flowers are entirely white, even if its yield is selective, with a preharvest fruit-drop caused by over-production.
ImageThe use of the mature fruit (it is at first very acidic and astringent) allows us to produce this AROMATIC WINE [BEVANDA AROMATIZZATA], this is its technical term, also called “Vino di Visciole”.
The Cherry is a wild plant that can be cultivated by re-planting the rootstocks of the mother plant. No breeding programmes exist; in our firm the plants are pinched, so as to favour hand picking without ladders or any other equipment.
The firm has re-planted 1200 Cherry plants over the last 3 years and, whilst waiting for its production (4th year onwards), has carried out a land survey detecting a large number of spontaneous plants, as well as a reduced number cultivated by farmers who use the plant for personal use: syrup for cakes and ice cream, or home made grappa.
Picking up from to the memorable tradition of the 15th Century Urbino Dukedom, where it was written that : "il Duca Federico da Montefeltro non beveva vino che di cerase." [Duke Federico da Montefeltro drank nought but cherry wine], La Montata Estate sets out re-introduce these traditional wines with unique processing and working methods, including the selection of the best cherries, wines and must. The berries and stones are not pressed or ground.
The peculiarity of these methods is highlighted by not using alcohol or liquor products which enhance its alcoholic content and intense and palatable aromatic traits of the berry.
The selection given the name “Il Duca” (Wild Cherry Nectar), is obtained from the use of special oak barriques (3,5 hl) equipped with a steel door and a low temperature fermenting process that lasts many months.
Some of the processing techniques that have been experimented, fine-tuned and applied over the years by our firm are a personal approach that allows us to obtain a natural end-product. These techniques use only natural cold-decanting methods, without the use of stabilizers and adjuvants.
Age-old techniques and Secrets long forgotten
The Altar Wine of Sant’Angelo in Vado is not only the fruit of attentive working of the fields and careful management of decennial vineyards, but, above all, a meticulous harvesting and processing of the grapes.
This very manual processing of berries after desiccation places the LA MONTATA Estate wine quality on a different milieu with respect to others in their research for the best results from the grapes.
A viticulture of old and noble origins, that has preserved its primeval wine-making techniques in favour of a memorable wine that maintains its authenticity, intense aromas and palatable flavour... Vino Santo ANGELICUS.
It is during the month of October, the end of the Summer season, that the Sant’Angelo vineyards start to harvest the white grapes for the Vino Santo production: the process - a matter of days for a normal wine, last in this case nearly a month since the grapes are hand picked only when ripe. On a difficult year 5 to 6 late harvestings are required.
After having discarded the deteriorated and damaged grapes directly from the vine, the grapes are then placed in sanitized rooms and hung in single bunches, most probably a world exclusive of La Montata Firm. Next, they will begin their raisining phase.
During this 5 month phase the grapes are left to evaporate their water content in favour of the sugar content, whilst the humidity released from this process is monitored and corrected manually by means of ventilation and fireplace/wooden stove heating mechanisms.
The entire process is under the experienced supervision of who has been producing Vin Santo, with these age-old techniques, for years.
Once the bunches have reached the proper raisining, the first grape selection begins: each and every grape is carefully selected and sorted for its specific wine-type production
Yellow, golden yellow, dark pink grapes Vino Santo ANGELICUS
Ruby-red, dry, dark grapes Passito TADDEO
Grapes covered with grey mould Muffato GIUAN
Selection is then followed by pressing of the grapes in their entirety; they are neither crushed nor cleaned of their stalks. A second selection then follows: with a first soft pressing we obtain the first choice quality, with a more intense pressing we obtain a second choice quality.
The musts are then cooled in order to eliminate as much dregs as possible, then, almost clear, are set to ferment so as to bring out its aromas.
The use of small wooden barrels, attentive handling of the fermenting process, constant control in the wine cellar and... time help transform the must of this delicious nectar, called Vino Santo ANGELICUS or Passito TADDEO or Muffato GIUAN that, unfiltered, is bottled and continues to improve with time.
The age-old origins of “Vino Santo”
Many stories have been told of the age-old origins of “Vino Santo”: myths and popular beliefs have been handed down from the early 15th Century, when it was thought that such a namesake came from the old habit of siphoning off the Easter drink during Holy Week.
Other legends claim that the name ‘Vino Santo’ was given when Cardinale Bessarione, after having tasted the wine, compared it to Xantos, maybe drawing a parallel to the Greek Island for the fruit and blossom scent of the wine, or even from the Greek adjective that means yellow, amber, just like the tonalities of this essence.