Cascina degli Ulivi Le Mat du Raisin Rosso 2021

A wicked blend of equal parts Barbera and Dolcetto from prized 60-year-old vines. The grapes in this blend are usually used for two of the estate's top red labels but in vintages not up to par are reclassified into this dynamic, crunchy red. This wine matures for 1 year on its lees in oak barrels and is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Fresh blackberries, raisiny plums, and tart cherries form the backbone of fruit, as moderate tannins underpin mild acidity through a very dry finish. The Bellotti reds always smack of the earth, with dark chocolate and herbs countering the soft, sour-juicy fruit. The wine's subtule, U Guaio, or 'The Trouble' in local dialect, is  a nod to the difficulties of 2017 vintage, when this cuvee came about painstakingly and in a pinch; as Stefano had predicted,  the wine did eventually come around, but not before his passing in 2018. The experience was so inspiring that Ilaria has decided to keep making this wine each vintage.