ca. 10,000 half bottles. Grapes: 100% Chardonnay Grapes: 65% Malvasia del Chianti 35% Trebbiano History: As Paolo De Marchi started using less and less white grapes in the Chianti Classico blend, he decided to use the best Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes to increase the Provenance: All the grapes are grown on the ISOLE e OLENA estate which covers 50 production fo Vin Santo and to make a still white table wine from a blend of the hectares. Vineyards are approximately 400m above sea level, facing south- remaining grapes. southwest, with galestro soils (clay/slate mix). After a few attempts, he realised that the best wine was one produced from 100% Harvest: by hand at the end of September Chardonnay, so grafted Chardonnay onto existing vines on the ISOLE e OLENA estate. 1987 was the first vintage for the ‘Collezione De Marchi Chardonnay’. Vinification and ageing: The grapes are dried for 3-5 months before pressing after which the must is racked into ‘caratelli’ (small barrels of varying composition) where it In 1989, a new vineyard was planted with five different clones from Burgundy ferments and ages for five years before bottling. (planted at 5.000 vines per hectare) which came in to full production with the 1994 The wine remains on the ‘madre’ or starter culture for the entire harvest. ageing/fermenting period, during which time it is neither racked nor filtered. At the end of the ageing period, the resulting wine comprises only 12-15% Vinification: The Chardonnay is made in a more Burgundian style than most in Italy. It remains of the initial yield. on the lees in 1/3 new oak barrels 10 months (up to 12 months depending on the vintage). During the first six months the wines is stirred occasionally, in the Total production: ca. 10,000 half bottles. Burgundian style. .