Clendenen “Bricco Buon Natale” Nebbiolo 2020 750ml

The Nebbiolo is carefully picked and sorted in the vineyard at Bien Nacido. All the grapes are destemmed and fermented in 5-ton, open-top fermenters. The must is punched down at least twice daily and pressed at dryness. The wine is put in 500L puncheons, one-third new oak, and racked once a year. Nebbiolo is a lighter-colored, high acid, red wine that requires several years in barrel to “come together.” We keep our “Bricco” Nebbiolo in barrel for 48 months using 500 liter Hungarian oak puncheons. These larger barrels are better for long-term aging. It allows the beautiful parts of Nebbiolo to shine through, and the shrill acid and brutal tannins to evolve and harmonize. We keep a close eye on this wine to keep it in good shape for the long haul. After 4 years in barrel, the wine is very clear, due to low pH and substanial time in barrel. No filtering or fining is necessary at bottling. The 2018, our 7th release of the Bricco Nebbiolo, shows how the maturity of the vines increased the wine’s depth and power. This Nebbiolo should reach its peak in 8 to 10 years, but it is ready to drink now.