Red

Garabei

By Giovanni Abrigo, Langhe, Piemonte, Italy

Giovanni Abrigo Garabei

100% Dolcetto from Garabei, the estate's oldest parcel, planted the year the estate was founded in 1968; the most structured and age-worthy of the Abrigo Dolcetti.

Tasting notes

Deep ruby red with the typical violet highlights of Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba. Clear aromas of morello cherry and blueberry, fine and elegant with soft, enveloping tannins and a smooth, persistent finish; with age it gains brushwood and earthy notes.

Pairs well with

Aged hams, hard cheeses, filled pasta, grilled vegetables and light main courses.

Technical details

Style
Red
Denomination
Dolcetto di Diano d'Alba Superiore DOCG
Grape
Dolcetto 100%
Cru / vineyard
Garabei
Production area
Garabei, the estate's oldest parcel, within the Sori dei Crava hillside in Diano d'Alba, planted in 1968, the year the estate was founded.
Soil
Steep, shallow, lean and dry calcareous soil, with layers of compact sand alternating with grey sandstone.
Exposure
South, south-westerly, altitude 350 m a.s.l.
Harvest
First half of September, hand-picked into crates when fully ripe.
Vineyard planting
Espalier vineyards with Guyot pruning, average density about 4,100 vines per hectare; vines over fifty years old, with a mix of rootstocks and clones.
Vinification
Grapes are gently destemmed and the whole berries fermented immediately using a starter of indigenous yeasts prepared a few days before harvest; pumping-over and delestage vary during fermentation, with 9 days of maceration on the skins and soft pressing that keeps only the low-pressure wine. Spontaneous malolactic fermentation follows in steel, with cold tartaric stabilisation over winter. Rests in concrete tanks until the following summer, racked a few times for natural settling, and aged twelve months before release.
Serving temperature
16-18°C
Storage
Evolves well for five years after harvest and can age beautifully for over ten years in the best vintages.

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