Vigne Marina Coppi, `I Grop` Barbera Superiore
Vintage: 2017
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | MC204B17 | 6 x 75 | Natural Cork | Available |
Producer
Francesco Bellocchio and his wife Anna founded Vigne Marina Coppi in 2003, taking over a small plot of vines in Castellania, a village in south-eastern Piemonte. Castellania is significant to Francesco, being the birthplace of his grandfather, legendary cyclist Fausto Coppi, the first man ever to win the Giro d‘Italia and the Tour de France in the same year. Named after Francesco’s mother, Marina, the estate now focuses on the indigenous varieties of Barbera, Nebbiolo, Croatina, Freisa, Favorita and Timorasso to make vibrant and well-defined wines.
Their Timorasso, named ‘Fausto’ after the great man himself, is their flagship wine and one of the best examples of the variety produced. It is resolutely modern in style, having been fermented solely in stainless steel, yet is concentrated, long and mineral. Their Timorasso ‘Grand Fostó’ pays homage to this variety, produced in very small quantities and aged for 12 months on its lees before release. The Barbera ‘Sant’ Andrea’ is vibrant and pristine, a paradigm of good Barbera.
The grapes for ‘I Grop’ Barbera Superiore hail from a cru vineyard planted 400 meters above sea level on calcareous soil. The wine is intensely scented with aromas of plum, pomegranate and sweet spices. The delicious ‘Marine’ Favorita, aged in tank on its lees for six months to augment texture and complexity, shows a clear varietal definition allied to Vigne Marina Coppi’s signature finesse.
Vineyards
The name ‘I Grop’ refers, in the local dialect, to the calcareous and fossil-rich boulders which are common to this area. The grapes come exclusively from Vigne Marina Coppi’s own ‘I Grop’ vineyard in Castellania, which sits at 400 metres above sea level. The geological characteristics of this cru vineyard endow this wine with particular elegance and body.
Vintage
2017 was, for many reasons, a rather unusual and challenging vintage. While yields were relatively low, quality was very high. Variable weather, which saw frosts in winter and spring and then very little rain during the summer, lowered production. However, attentive and precise work in the vineyard have allowed grapes to achieve their best expression.
Vinification
After destemming and pressing, fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks with maceration lasting for roughly 20 days with regular pump-overs. Following fermentation, the wine was drawn off, decanted, and transferred into traditional 12 hectolitre barriques where malolactic fermentation took place. The wine matured in these barriques for 24 months, followed by a further 18 months in bottle prior to release.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
'I Grop' is bright ruby-red in colour. The nose is intensely scented, with aromas of plum, pomegranate and sweet spices. On the palate, it is fresh, yet concentrated, with fine tannins and spicy vanilla flavours that linger on the finish.
Alcohol (ABV)
14.5%
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vigne Marina Coppi | `Sant'Andrea` Barbera | MC201 | R | Factsheet | |
| `Fausto` Timorasso | MC203 | W | |||
| `Marine` Favorita | MC205 | W | Factsheet | ||
| `Grand Fostó` Timorasso | MC206 | W |