Franciacorta Annamaria Clementi RS 1980 Franciacorta DOCG Riserva Ca' del Bosco

40% Pinot Noir, 39% Chardonnay, and 21% Pinot Bianco

Average 42 years, of which 7 years with bottles lying flat and 34 years with bottles stacked "sur pointe". Disgorged on request. In 1980, the spring began cool and slightly rainy, which initially allowed the vines to bud in dry weather. From May onwards, the weather changed dramatically with persistent rain into July, with over 200mm of rainfall in May and June. These conditions significantly affected the vines, resulting in a loss of grape load. Particularly during the flowering period, the cool, rainy weather caused the loss of some flower buds and limited fruit set, which resulted in reduced grape quality. However, from the second week of July, high temperatures of around 30°C set in and there was no further rain until September. This late summer weather had a positive effect on the quality of the grapes. Harvest began in the first week of September, with the Pinot grapes in particular being harvested perfectly healthy and ripe on 11 and 12 September. André Dubois, then cellar master at Ca' del Bosco, decided, at Maurizio Zanella's request, to press the best bunches of grapes of the year using classic methods. This involved manual pressing with an old Marmonier wooden press, followed by fermentation and storage until the following spring in 205-litre oak barrels, an innovation at the time. From his notes: "Magnificent harvest, low yields. Excellent vintage. A wine to age for a long time." Stefano Capelli, chosen by Dubois in 1986 to succeed him in 1990, noted: Dubois taught him that complexity, fullness and olfactory harmony can only be achieved with time. His most important lesson was to know the value of time and to forget haste. You have to forget the wines in the cellar and then collect them over the years, study them, analyse them, taste them and measure them. Only with time can you judge their aging potential and their evolution until they fully express their originality and uniqueness.

Ca' del Bosco