Sweet, ripe and aromatic notes of dried cherries, and ripe red and black fruits is backed by lush and sweet tannins that offer slight hints of cocoa, vanilla and spice.

Founded in 1960 by Giuseppe Inama, this 74 acre estate is located in Monte Foscarino, the heart of the Soave Classico region in Italy. Each vineyard imparts a unique element to the blend; the volcanic soil of Classico lends floral aromas and minerality, and the soils found in Colli Berici contribute depth and structure. The terra rossa soil of this sub-appellation are particularly well suited to growing Bordeaux blends and was the first region in Italy to plant Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenere. In 1992, Giuseppe handed the reins to his son Stefano who carries on his father’s legacy of minimalist intervention in the vineyards and in the cellar. The grapes are hand-picked and briefly macerated on their skins. After a gentle pressing, the musts are naturally cold settled. In order to preserve the aromas and varietal flavors, the wines are bottled with minimal fining or filtration. “We are organic in the way we grow wines, but don’t declare it”, says Stefano. “It is not a marketing tool: the quality of the wine is the marketing tool.”

Technical notes

(70% Carmenere/30% Merlot). The fruit is grown in the Colli Berici hills of the Veneto region, a historic and renowned growing area for Cabernet. The 19-40 year old vines are planted in the Lonigo VI parcel to a blend of lime and clay soils. The handpicked fruit was macerated for 12 days and racked into new French oak barriques where it underwent malolactic and aged for 15 months. The wine was racked and lightly filtered prior to bottling.

Producer

The Inama estate was founded in 1960 by Giuseppe Inama, who owned 30 hectares of vines in the heart of the Soave Classico region, predominantly on the highly regarded Monte Foscarino. He handed the reigns to his son Stefano in 1992, who has continued to tend the family's vines, principally Garganega, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. The volcanic soil found in the Classico area imparts a floral aroma with a firm mineral character on the palate. Other vineyards include the Colli Berici, the name of which derives from bradyseism, a slow seismic event which forms ridges in the land. The soils here are terra rossa and are suited for red vines. Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Carmenere are the most common, and Colli Berici was the first DOC for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in all Italy. Although the winery is very modern, intervention during winemaking is kept to a minimum; after a short maceration and gentle pressing the must is left to settle before fermentation and spontaneous malolactic fermentation. In order to preserve both the aromatic intensity and natural balance of the grapes, the wines are bottled with a minimum of fining and filtration. "We are organic in the way we grow wines, but don’t declare it”,says Stefano. "It is not a marketing tool: the quality of the wine is the marketing tool”.