2018 Lino Maga Montebuono

Place: Oltrepò Pavese - Lombardy, ITA

Varieties: Croatina, Uva Rara, Vespolina (Ughetta) and Barbera

Farming: Organic 

"Maga's Montebuono uses the same blend as his Barbacarlo: Croatina, Uva Rara and Ughetta, with the addition of Barbera. These vineyards sit next to each other, but the site is less extreme than that of the Barbacarlo parcel and faces south. 

They are hand-harvested then gently pressed and ferment with indigenous yeasts in ancient 3000L oak casks. They undergo 7-8 days maceration before slumbering for 8 months in ancient 3000L oak casks with periodic racking during the old moon. Bottled in the spring following the next vintage with fermentation often finishing here. Bottles are stored horizontal for 40 days and then stored vertical for four months before being available for sale. Bottles should be stored vertically.

Reflecting the vintage, this is a richer, fuller expression of Montebuono that offers dark fruit, bitter herbs and firm tannin. Remarkably open in its youth, this should age beautifully over the coming years." — notes from the importer, QuelVino