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Alma 4 Sparkling Bonarda
Producer
Alma 4 (literally ‘Soul 4‘), is the brainchild of four friends: Sebastian Zuccardi, Mauricio Castro, Agustin Lopez and Marcela Manini...
The friends make a small range of sparkling wines, all from handpicked grapes and made by the Traditional Method in the winery close to Mendoza itself. They started the project after leaving university ten years ago with the aim of making unique and exciting wines from Argentina. Unsurprisingly, given his heritage and wide travels across the wine world, Sebastian leads the project. He is a dynamic, charismatic winemaker who keeps one eye on quality and the other firmly on the enormous potential for innovation within Argentina.
Vineyards
The Bonarda comes from the Zuccardi’s Santa Rosa vineyards, east of Mendoza. The red grapes were picked by hand into small, 15 kilogram boxes (to minimise crushing of the grapes before they reached the winery). They are harvested slightly later than the other Alma 4 wines, in early March, to give a fuller, fruitier style.
Vinification
The Bonarda grapes were fermented on skins for 10 days before pressing. A warmer fermentation, at over 25oC, has given a slightly richer palate. The wine was aged using the Traditional (Champagne) Method, with the second fermentation in bottle. The wine rested on its lees for nearly three years before a dosage of 14 grams per litre was added to the wine.
Tasting Notes
The 2007 is deep red in colour with aromas of violets, cherries and strawberries. The palate is full with intense, black and red fruit flavours and a hint of spice. The tannins are ripe and supple, balanced by fresh acidity and cassis notes on the finish.
| Vintage |
2007 |
| Grape varieties |
100% Bonarda
|
| Region |
Mendoza |
| Winemaker |
Sebastian Zuccardi |
| Closure |
|
| Alcohol (ABV) |
12.5%% |
