REGION | Pesaro, Marche
PRACTICES | Sustainable
TERROIR | The vineyards of the Focara subzone within the Colli Pesaresi DOC sit above the majestic cliffs of Focara in the northern Marche. Soils are dominated by calcareous sandstone. The proximity to the Adriatic coast provides a cooling microclimate.
It’s no wonder that Mancini’s are considered some of the best Pinot Nero in Italy: the vineyards, about 30 hectares in the natural park of Mount San Bartolo above the spectacular cliffs of Focara on the Adriatic coast, have an illustrious history. They were originally planted in 1810 under order by the Napoleonic administration due to the site’s suitability to France’s noble grape, then purchased by the Mancini family in 1861. The cool microclimate of this stretch of north-orientated coast and the calcareous sandstone soil allow the production of long-lived wines with a great balance between structure, depth, freshness and elegance.
In 1998 Mancini began researching and isolating the best clones created by two hundred years of adaptation to the local environment, obtaining a high-quality selection of family clones of Pinot Noir that are now considered to be local and unique.
These clones are cultivated in a library plot adjacent to the top cru, Rive. Today Luigi Mancini and his wife Shayle, a winemaker trained in NZ at such wineries as Felton Road, manage the estate. Being in the heart of a Natural Park, Mancini is focused on sustainable viticulture, avoiding the use of chemical herbicides, employing compost, and working organically.
Other typical local grape varieties are also cultivated at Fattoria Mancini, including Sangiovese, Ancellotta and Albanella, which the Mancini family is single-handedly responsible for saving from extinction. Understanding his Albanella was of higher quality than the then synonomous Trebbiano Toscano, Ettore and Luigi pushed the DOC to recognize the two as separate varieties
VARIETY | 70% Albanella, 30% Pinot Nero // ABV | 12.5%
VINEYARDS | Hills of Roncaglia within Pesaro, 100-150m. Soils are deep, with high sand component, calcareous, silty
VINIFICATION | whole bunch pressed at 9°C; must was extracted until 55% in weight of the grapes; must settles for 24 hours, cool fermentation, no malolactic.
**Roncaglia DOC must contain at least 25% Pinot Nero vinified white
VARIETY | 100% Pinot Nero // ABV | 14%
VINEYARDS | Vigna di Fontebocale in Fiorenzuola di Focara
VINIFICATION | Whole-cluster press on next day after harvest, extraction of flower must up to 50% by weight of the grapes loaded static decantation of the must without use of clarifiers, cool temp-controlled fermentation in barrique. Barrique aged 12 months. (20% new, 40% 2nd and 40% 3rd passage)
VARIETY | 100% Pinot Nero // ABV | 14%
VINEYARDS | Rive in Fiorenzuola di Focara, in the Natural Park of Monte San Bartolo, town of Pesaro. 100m from the coast, at altitude of 100-150m. Loamy, deep, calcareous, high sandy soils.
VINIFICATION | Hand-harvested, de-stemmed, 7 day cold-maceration. Indigenous yeast fermentation in cistern, aged 12 months in French barriques on lees with monthly batonnage.
VARIETY | 100% Pinot Nero // ABV | 15%
VINEYARDS | Rive in Fiorenzuola di Focara, in the Natural Park of Monte San Bartolo, town of Pesaro. 500m from the coast, 100-150m elevation. Soils are deep with high sand component; calcareous, silty.
VINIFICATION | Hand-harvested, de-stemmed, 7 day cold-maceration. Indigenous yeast fermentation in cistern, aged 12 months in French barriques (50% new, 50% 1 year) on lees with monthly batonnage.