1 BOTTLE X 75cl. 

The grapes: 100% Nebbiolo - Chiavennasca.

The vineyard: vines in some of the best crus in the Sassella subzone: Minè, Chiesa Sassella, Grigioni-Cà Bianca.

The vines are trained with the arched variant of the Guyot system (3500 vines/hectare), on poor, stony, shallow soil, tending towards dryness, at a height of 400-450 metres. 5 tonnes of grapes were produced per hectare.

Vinification and aging: the bunches, harvested by hand at the beginning of October, were vinified on the skins in special temperature-controlled fermentation tanks. Maceration lasted 5 days. In December, after a period in steel containers, part of the wine (2/3) was left to age in small second and third passage French oak barrels for 20 months and another part (1/3) aged for 20 months in 30 and 50 HL French oak barrels.

The wine: Sassella Le Tense has a brilliant garnert colour; the perfume is complex, with a persuasive raspberry jam fragrance and with recollections of wild rose and ripe amarena cherries; a full flavour, smooth but well sustained, very tasty with great elegance and harmony, with pleasant undertones of prunes and persistent spices.

Analytical data: alcohol 13.80%; total acidity 5.40g/l;pH 3.64; sugars 1.00g/l; extract 29.00 g/l.

Optimum conservation: 5/7 years in bottles on their sides in a cool dark environment. Serve with: roast red meats, lamb, kid, game and mature cheeses. Serving temperature: 18℃

Curiosities: the Le Tense name derived from the fact that during domination by the Swiss Tre Leghe Grigie (1512 - 1797) the best vines were "tense", i.e. protected, by the guardians of the vines, the “arbostrari”.