Ca 'Botta Le Renette Rose

Tenute Ca’Botta call themselves “an Italian innovative winery that specialises in making dry wines from dried grapes”. We call them a bit crazy!

Even their most basic wines are made using a technique called apassimento. After the grapes are harvested they are set out on wooden slats in a temperature controlled warehouse to allow the grapes to dry out. This concentrates the sugar and flavour - great for big full bodied wines.

However it also means it can take double the amount of grapes to make one of their wines - their accountant must have a stressful job!

Based in in Valpolicella DOC, Veneto, in the northern part of Italy, Ca'Botta is also known for combining winemaking innovations (they have developed their own patented tank Fermentino Ca'Botta®) with a mix of traditional winemaking techniques that gives exceptional balance to the wines.

Rondinella is a red grape which is used as a component in Valpolicella wines. The grapes are grown at high hills around the town of Gavardo, situated to the east of Lake Garda. The grapes are hand harvested early. This keeps the acidity in the grapes.

The grapes are crushed and macerate on the skins for 4 hours. The juice is then drained off the skins and fermented in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures to produce a fresh and fruity rosé.

A lovely fruity rosé with strawberry and cherry notes balanced with fresh acidity. There is some sweetness here but comes across as a light candied note on the finish. A more full bodied style of rosé, this could stand up to most barbecued meats you throw at it.