Tenuta Mazzolino, `Mazzolino` Bonarda
Lombardia
100% Croatina
14% abv 
Vegan Friendly
The Bonarda is the most typical of all reds of the Oltrepò, with deep colour, dark plum and earthy flavours and lovely rustic tannins. It shows how deeply rooted in these hills is Tenuta Mazzolino.
 
r 36 months before disgorgement, creating a textured, creamy sparkling wine with a fine mousse and notes of candied lemon rind and toasted brioche.
The quality of the fruit and the excellence of the winemaking is evident in the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Both are unoaked and display a lovely purity of fruit. The Chardonnay is made with 20% of the Musqué clone macerated for 24 hours on skins to lend an aromatic intensity unusual in Chardonnay. The Terrazze is Mazzolino’s ‘village’ Pinot Nero, made with fruit sourced from four of their single vineyards: Fontana, Aurora, Rocca and Corvino Alto. The fruit is de-stemmed before being fermented and aged in traditional vats. Francesca describes this as ‘the whole hill in a bottle’. It has lovely perfume and ripe yet present tannins to corset the fruit.
The Bonarda is the most typical of all reds of the Oltrepò, with deep colour, dark plum and earthy flavours and lovely rustic tannins. It shows how deeply rooted in these hills is Tenuta Mazzolino.
 
The Croatina grapes are sourced from a 2 hectare vineyard 'Marona' with a west-facing exposure at 180-220 meters altitude. The vineyards are characterized by clayey-loamy topsoil, with veins of sand and a chalky bedrock. The vines are trained using the Guyot system, with a planting density of 5,500 plants per hectare. The first vintage was produced in 1934.
 
The 2022 vintage was marked by challenging weather conditions but overall produced high-quality wines. The year experienced an unusually warm and dry growing season, with above-average temperatures and extended periods of drought. The lack of rainfall during critical periods also meant lower yields, but the grapes that did survive tended to be healthy and of high quality. The natural acidity was preserved, despite the heat, ensuring balance in the wines.
 
The grapes were destemmed and fermented in stainless steel vats with a pre-fermentation maceration to enhance flavour extraction. Throughout fermentation follatura (punching down) was used to gently submerge the grape skins, ensuring optimal extraction of tannins and flavour. After fermentation, the wine was aged in vats for 6 months.
 
The Bonarda is the most typical of all reds of the Oltrepo’, with deep colour, dark plum and earthy flavours and lovely rustic tannins. It shows how deeply rooted in these hills is Tenuta Mazzolino.