As of the 2018 vintage, Tenuta Rapitalà’s Grand Cru has been renamed to Conte Hugues Chardonnay Sicilia DOC, in honor of Tenute Rapitalà’s founder and a great winemaker.
The chardonnay is a fine expression of the character of the estate. The selected parcels feature the estate’s oldest vines, planted in 1982. Specific vinification techniques enhance its typicity and its prestigious bottle, with a relief of the ancient and noble coat of arms of the family of Hugues Bernard Count de la Gatinais, makes “Grand Cru” a wine that represents the strong personality, legacy and singularity of the estate.
Terroir: Fully-ripe fruit is harvested in August. White-wine vinification includes a gentle pressing and cold settling of the young must, part of which undergoes a short (12 hours) cold maceration, followed by classic decanting and alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats.
Vinification: The grapes are picked in August when they are fully ripe and richness is at its maximum. The grapes are gently pressed and cold settled. Part of the must undergoes a short (12 hours) cold maceration, followed by classic decanting. Fermentation begins in stainless steel tanks. When the must achieves 4-5% alcohol, the wine is racked into French oak barriques where fermentation is completed. The wine then ages on its lees in French oak barriques for 9-12 months. It is then bottle refined for a minimum of three months before release.
Pale gold color. The typical full, fruity, soft character of the chardonnay and the aromatic notes of the wood are evident on the nose. A round wine, with well-defined Mediterranean scents, full-bodied and satisfying with a long and lingering finish.
Technical Details
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