Elegant nose with hints of strawberry, peach, and berries. Complete, full, and persistent on the palate.
The Franciacorta Brut Rosé "Altéra" is made from a cuvée of grapes from two vineyards on the top and the eastern side of a limestone hill: the vineyard on the top has a total exposure, the one on eastern side has an exposure to afternoon sun. The two plots are located on calcareous soil. In the vineyards on the limestone hill, the stone emerges from the ground and you can see the white and compact limestone named Maiolica, that gives the name to the artisan diggers, the builders and also to the Maiolini family. The grapes are hand harvested and collected in small boxes for careful transport to the winery. The grapes are removed from their stalks and then placed in tanks for a cold maceration that lasts between 6 and 8 hours at 4 °C. The grapes are then pressed gently and fermented in steel tanks at a controlled temperature of 16-18°C. Altéra means lordly. Production is 9000 bottles; only produced in the best vintages.
The Majolini family has been connected to wine and grapes since the 15th century. The family traces their roots to Ome, a unique place located on the northeastern border of Franciacorta, Italy's famed sparkling wine-producing region. The red grape variety Majolina (recently recognized as a variety indigenous to Lombardy) is a testament to the long history of the family in this region. In 1981 Valentino Majolini's four sons relaunched the Majolini winery. Together they restored the ancient vineyards and built the winery high up on a hill with views that stretch for miles over the village of Ome and the surrounding vineyards. The buildings are crafted from local stone known as Medolo and this pure white limestone is the same component found in the region's soil that gives minerality and structure to the Franciacorta wines that are produced here. Today the winery is run by Ezio Majolini and three cousins: Simone, Giovanni, and Elena. For almost twenty years the winemaking process has been shared by Cesari Ferrari from Franciacorta and Jean-Pierre Valade from Champagne, France. The Majolinis own 24 hectares in more than 24 plots dedicated to Chardonnay, Majolina, and Pinot Noir vineyards.
