Petra – Petra – D.O.C.G. – Red Wines – Luxury Limited Edition – 750 ml – Avvenice

Petra – The Wonderful Story of a Female Challenge

The memory of nature has deep roots. Francesca Moretti was still at university when the first vine varietals were planted: she was the one who chose, on the basis of an already clear vision, what to grow on this terroir, extremely suitable but ready for a new reinterpretation, and her choice favoured international varieties, in addition to sangiovese and vermentino varieties, the start of a path which was already pointing to the highest levels of delightfulness and contemporaneity. Two centuries earlier, Elisa Bonaparte, too, had planted cabernet-sauvignon and Merlot grapes in a 5-hectares plot which later became known as the Princess Vineyard. A circle that closes in our times, with the project that has been lovingly planned by Francesca, to recreate the historical Vineyard in the places that saw her grow up. The Princess Elisa’s Gardens is included in this, a collection of aromatic herbs which faithfully reproduces the original plan, on a panoramic terrace adjacent to the winery, according to the illustration of the historical botanist Paolo Tomei, from the University of Siena.

Petra Wines – The Memory of The Past and The Force of Nature

Near the ancient village of Suvereto, land of the suvere, majestic oaks produce cork on the iron hills of the Val di Cornia and with a glimpse of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It’s here, in the spectacular nature of the Maremma, that the magic of Petra was born.

Petra – Petra – D.O.C.G. – Red Wines – Luxury Limited Edition – 750 ml

Symbol of the project itself, so much so that it bears its name, Petra tells ancient stories with new words.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes are harvested manually on soils chosen to enhance the characteristics of the vine and bring out its distinctive features. The same happens for cabernet franc, introduced in 2018, a variety that has found fertile ground in these places and in the character of the blend.

Cabernet sauvignon 70%, merlot 28%, cabernet franc 12%

Tasting Notes

Bright ruby ​​red color. Intriguing on the nose, it recalls hints of fresh fruit, wild blackberry, cherry and currant.

Tasting – Aroma Taste Perfume

These aromas are intertwined with spicy notes of coffee and licorice, which together with balsamic notes of Mediterranean scrub, give a bouquet of great complexity and finesse. The olfactory sensations find power and volume, mitigated by freshness and minerality, from the very first sip: the exact moment when a balanced tannin is perceived and excellent aging capacity is glimpsed.

Production Method – Sun, Wind and Voked Soils

The production method is rigorously aimed at defending the territorial connotation.

The grapes are transported in crates, the fermentation takes place naturally with indigenous yeasts and the vinification takes place in 100-hectolitre oak conical vats. Finally, the aging of 18 months in first, second and third passage barriques, characterized by a medium and light roasting that accompanies and enhances the fruit without ever overdoing it. The rest in the bottle lasts another 18 months, before the wine leaves the cellar.

Petra – An Uncommon Year

An out of the ordinary vintage, of great complexity and freshness. A wine that will express all its complexity over time.

Harvest – Climatic Conditions

The vintage will be remembered as the driest and least productive vintage of the last 50 years. Winter is mild and with sporadic and minor rainy events. The germination is early and homogeneous until mid-April, when a sharp drop in temperatures slows down the vegetative cycle of the plant. With the month of May and the return of good weather, the plants resume their regular development, slightly slowed by conditions of drought and high transpiration. A long warm and sunny period then begins, with temperatures reaching 35 ° C in August. Only thanks to an accurate management of the soil and vegetation, we are able to obtain a regular ripening of the grapes. These reach the harvest perfectly healthy, in excellent balance in sugar content and acidity, with an extraordinary dowry of structure and concentration.

Harvest – Cycle of The Vineyard

The mild temperatures induced an early and homogeneous germination in the various areas of Petra, with a good development of the shoots until mid-April, when a sharp drop in temperatures slowed the vegetative cycle. With the month of May and the return of good weather, the plants resumed regular development, even if slowed down by the conditions of drought and high transpiration. The soro grapes arrived at the harvest perfectly healthy as the weather conditions were particularly favorable. The Merlot grapes were harvested on August 28, while the Cabernet Sauvignon from September 8: a slightly early harvest and characterized by below average yields.

Vinification and Aging

Despite the exceptional drought and high temperatures, the grapes were balanced in sugar content and acidity, with a good polyphenolic concentration. After harvesting, the grapes destined for Petra are cold macerated for a few days before the start of fermentation. Maceration then continues for another 25 days with an infusion method to extract all the noble compounds of the grape. After racking, the wines mature in new 25% barriques for 18 months and after bottling, the wine ages for 18 months in the bottle before being placed on the market.

Farming Systems

Guyot

Plant Density

6200 vines / ha

Yield

80 q.li/ha

Average Age of The Vines

19 years

Lands

Limestone nature with the right balance, well structured and medium-deep skeleton with slopes of around 10-15%

Aging in Wood

In French oak barriques, 25% of which are new, for at least 18 months

Bottle Aging

For a minimum period of 18 months

Technical Data

Alcohol: 14.5% – Total acidity: 5.2 – pH: 3.57 – Dry extract: 32.3

Tasting Notes

Petra has a bright ruby red color. The nose is intact and intense with hints that recall red fruits, wild blackberry, cherry and currant. These aromas are pleasantly flanked by balsamic notes that recall the Mediterranean scrub, bay leaf and spicy notes of pepper and incense with vanilla nuances that create a bouquet of great complexity and finesse. On the palate it is powerful and voluminous, pleasantly fresh with a rich and silky tannic texture. The taste balance achieved by Petra makes it pleasant to drink right now but capable of great evolution over the years.