Thursday, May 6, 2010

Oriu vintage

The first ORIU vintage was in 1970. ORIU means cache or stash in Corsican, a reference to the longstanding practice by the island's infamous bandits of hiding money and arms in mountain caves.
This 1970 vintage is composed by 80% of Niellucciu and 20% of Sciaccarellu that we turn to wine each year in separated tanks, and, if the year lets augur a beautiful future, we gather the two wines in spring. Grapes are scratched and pressed; fermentation is done with indigenous yeast and follows with a soaking from 15 to 21 days between 26 and 30°C with a finishing on “marcs”. The blend is aged in concrete tanks for 18 months, then at least two years in bottles in semi-buried cellar, so that tannins are made.

On the one hand, the ORIU vintage has for signature this difference between a sophisticated color or even “tuilée” and aromas already expressive at an early age and the other hand, a mouth always tighted which promise a very long holding.

Our granite arenas’ soils particularly expressed the smoked hints of Niellucciu which brings the structure on the first years and which is relieved after 8 to 10 years by tighted tannins of Sciaccarellu on these same soils.

The shelf life of this vatful fluctuates between 15 and 25 years following the vintage. Younger, they are in ripe red fruits, blond tobacco, wild aromas of the scrubland and spices. As one gets older, they will turn to animals hints. We notice below optimal periods for the development of these animal aromas, but many are those who appreciate the powerful of fruit and spicy aromas. Beyond these periods, concerning very old vintages, we are still surprised about their bodies and gathered testimonies relaying their freshness.

The serving temperature is advised at around 18-19°C and this vatful matches very well with games, red meats and spicy dishes.

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