Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore 2008

Vintage 2008 of this great Trentodoc from the historic sparkling wine producer Ferrari only recently came on the market, a full and fruity version.

At this point it is useless to stress how the pandemia and the measures adopted to deal with it over the past months have upset our social and working habits. Professionally speaking, what we missed the most was interacting with producers, unique moments for those who not only write about wine but also continue to discover and learn about it with true passion.

Among the tastings that took place during the lockdown, the most memorable were those that the producer was able to organized as a virtual shared moment. And one of the best that I participated in was the one on June 4th dedicated to “Giulio Ferrari Collectors”, a club I was unaware of before and that immediately impressed me with the sincere enthusiasm and affection of its members. In order to become a member, one needs to go to the Trento winery’s historic website and register the code of the membership card found in the box set of the very rare Giulio Ferrari Collection they have purchased along with the personal information requested. Once you have done this you have access to the club and the special benefits it offers.

Among these was the webinar conducted by Marcello Lunelli, the vice president and director of Cantine Ferrari, and Ruben Larentis, the enologist and chef de cave of the Maison, to present the latest vintage of Riserva del Fondatore to reach the market, Giulio Ferrari 2008. This was the second wettest year since 1921 but it also saw one of the sunniest and hottest summers, which produced a September harvest of grapes with an excellent sugar content and natural alcohol potential of 11.5%.

Giulio Ferrari 2008 is the product of ripeness and heat but a very soft pressing reduced the yield by 50%. The decisions Ruben made in the winery were all aimed at preserving the wine’s finesse and elegance and allow it to have a greater propensity to age. There was no stirring of lees after the first two months, to avoid have excessive volume, and only 15% of the blend was from must fermented in 40hl barrels used ten times, while 20% of the wine did not undergo malolactic fermentation.

What makes this blend of only Chardonnay particular is that all the grapes came from Maso Pianizza, where the vineyard has 15 different parcels that vary in altitude by 150m. One part has a totally southern exposure which gives maturity to the fruit while another has a western exposure that allows the grapes to retain their acidity. Treating the Chardonnay differently has the undeniable advantage of maintaining the nuances given by the different ages of the vines, which vary between 15 and 30 years.

This wine is a masterpiece of harmony and balance that every year reveals the character of a single harvest, to the extent that in the future there may be a Giulio Collection that comes out after 20 rather than 12 years, depending on the traits of the vintage and how it ages in the bottle. Giulio Ferrari has a fascinating history and for this reason it has so many loyal fans, to whom the club is dedicated.

Trentodoc Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore 2008 

97/100 - € 110

Made from only Chardonnay using the Traditional Method and sitting on the lees for some ten years. The wine has a bright golden color and a very fine effervescence. The rich and generous bouquet has notes of golden delicious apple, yellow plums and pineapple upheld by a fragrant floral note that plays on scents of hawthorn, acacia flower and chamomile with a hint of gingerbread. The mouthfeel already by the first sip is full and fruity, with a bracing freshness of exotic citrus fruit and citron that exalt the richness of the flavor.

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