Vigne Marina Coppi, `Grand Fostó` Timorasso
Vintage: 2018
| Vintage | Product Code | Format | Closure | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | MC206B18 | 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 vineyard is situated 400 metres above sea level, occupying a sheltered position protected from the cold northerly winds thus creating a microclimate for growing perfectly mature fruit. There is marked diurnal temperature variation, which enhances the grapes' natural qualities and fruit purity. The soil is made up of 30% sand, 55% clay and 15% limestone and is grey/light blue in colour.
Vintage
The 2018 vintage started with very cold temperatures in February, plunging to -7 and -8 degrees. The season continued with a rainy May with almost 23 days of rainfall that, to a lesser extent, continued into June. All these conditions led to a decrease in tartaric acids while increasing the ph of the wines. Cases of downy mildew were reported by top producers while the Serralunga area was hit by hail episodes. Overall, this vintage is considered to be a better quality compared to the dry 2017, however the 2018 ageing window is limited and these wines will be ready to drink within the next 10 years.
Vinification
Grapes were hand harvested in 18-20 kilogram boxes. Once in the winery, the grapes were macerated on the skins followed by a period of cold settling. Fermentation took place at 16-18C. After fermentation, the wine was moved to tonneaux for lees contact to increase complexity and depth.
Tasting Notes & Technical Details
In the glass, this wine is pale yellow with green hues. it opens with delicate aromas of melon, quince, accompanied by herbaceous notes and dandelion flower. The palate is full and lively, with notes of nectarines, yellow apples, flowers and citrus fruit. The wine has good length with a refreshing acidity.
Alcohol (ABV)
14%
Other wines from this producer
Producer | Wine | Product Code | Features | Style | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vigne Marina Coppi | `Sant'Andrea` Barbera | MC201 | R | Factsheet | |
| `Fausto` Timorasso | MC203 | W | |||
| `I Grop` Barbera Superiore | MC204 | R | |||
| `Marine` Favorita | MC205 | W | Factsheet |