Vini Sassara, Misia 2021

Producer: Vini Sassara
Region: Veneto, Italy
Grape Varieties: Trebbiano, Garganega, Tocai
Viticulture: Organic, Biodynamic
Category: Skin-Contact Orange 
Size: 750ml

Vini Sassara is a fourteen hectare beautiful estate nestled in the hills of Valeggio sul Mincio in the Veneto, just south of Lake Garda, close to the town of Custoza at the southern end of the Bardolino DOC. (That's right - è arrivato il Bardolino naturale!) Ten hectares are dedicated to vines, while the other four are made up of woodlands and olive groves.

This is the passionate work of Alessia Bertaiola and her husband, Stefano, a 3rd generation winemaker whose family has had this property for more than 50 years. Alessia and Stefano represent the 4th generation to work the morainic hill of Monte Mamaor. They took over the property in 2007, and with Alessia's strong background in agricultural research and development, quickly converted each plot to biodynamic farming. They have been making certified organic wine during that time, but due to a lack of inspiration, they took the plunge into producing a more naturalistic expression of their incredible fruit and soil, greatly inspired by the likes of Danillo Marcucci and others. The area was once an ancient sea, and the hills were shaped by later glacial activity which left the soils rich in marine deposits and a complexity of morainic sediment (Quartz, Granite, Calcarius, Alabaster etc). Alessia and Stefano are blessed with mostly big, thick, sturdy old vines roughly 60 to 70 years old, with some younger vines they have planted themselves.

Vinification:  Spontaneous fermentation with 3 days skin maceration and without temperature control. Aged in stainless steel. No filtering or fining and minimal added sulfur as necessary.