Red

Leo

By Pietro Cassina, Alto Piemonte, Piemonte, Italy

Pietro Cassina Leo

Leo is Pietro Cassina's only blended wine, a Bramaterra DOC of Nebbiolo and Vespolina from the hills of Roasio, matured about three years in oak and bottled as a hand-numbered limited edition.

Tasting notes

Deep garnet red, tending to orange with age. Intense, persistent nose led by red berries, spice and good minerality. Dry, softly tannic palate, intense, savoury and persistent, with an important structure and a bitterish undertone; harmonious and velvety.

Pairs well with

Red meats and game such as knife-beaten Fassona, braised or roasted beef, and stewed venison or wild boar; mushroom risotto and tagliatelle; aged cheeses like Parmigiano, Gorgonzola and mountain Toma Piemontese; tajarin with truffle or meat sauce, agnolotti del plin, chicken cacciatore.

Technical details

Style
Red
Denomination
Bramaterra DOC
Grape
Nebbiolo 80%, Vespolina 20%
Production area
Hills of Roasio, northeastern Piedmont (Alto Piemonte)
Soil
Acidic soils (pH 4.5-5.4) with porphyritic sands of volcanic origin, red to dark brown in colour and rich in minerals.
Exposure
Southeast to southwest
Harvest
Generally around the middle of October
Vineyard planting
Espalier Guyot training, about 5,000 vines per hectare, 320 m above sea level
Vinification
Grapes are hand-picked in 7-9 kg crates with a further selection in the cellar. After sorting on a vibrating table, destemming and soft crushing, they drop into temperature-controlled steel tanks; fermentation and skin maceration last about 28-30 days at up to 28°C, with punching down and pumping over about twice a day. The wine is racked and matured in oak tonneaux for about 36 months, then bottled with further ageing in bottle. Leo is the estate's only blend, and every bottle is hand-numbered.
Serving temperature
18-20°C, uncork 1-2 hours before serving
Storage
Ageing potential up to 20-25 years

More from Pietro Cassina