August: the hottest month of the year. The most pleasant thing to do is to go out in the evening: have an aperitif, have dinner, put something on the barbecue, eat some fresh fish and drink… red wine!
Exactly, red wine. “Rossofreddo”, vintage 2018, is the latest wine from the Tinazzi family, ideal to drink on warm summer evenings. This is a red Salento I.G.P. wine made on the “Feudo Croce” country estate, in San Giorgio Jonico, Puglia. A wine made specifically to drink at a temperature of 10°C.
But how is it possible to drink a structured red wine at such a low temperature of 10°C
The answer is the way the wine is made, through cold maceration of the grapes. What happens is that the grapes are crushed and left for 36-48 hours at a temperature of 8-10°C while the atmosphere inside the fermentation tank gets saturated with carbon dioxide. Afterwards, a gentle pressing separates the liquid part from the solid part. The alcoholic fermentation starts at controlled temperatures of 18-20°C.
This technique prevents the extraction of the most reactive tannic components that would otherwise cause the typical astringency that comes with red wines, especially at low temperatures.
The result is a wine with a bright red colour and an alcohol content of 13%. A subtle balsamic vein highlights its floral and fruity notes on the nose. Smooth and silky on the palate, with a refreshing finish, Rossofreddo perfectly matches appetisers, first courses, white meat, and cheese.
The history of Tinazzi family started with its founder Eugenio Tinazzi in the late 1960s at Cavaion Veronese, on the shores of Lake Garda. His son, Gian Andrea Tinazzi, was only 18 years old when he started to help his father in the family business. Today, Gian Andrea’s children, Francesca and Giorgio assist their father in managing what has become an important production group with wineries and estates in Veneto and Puglia.
Feudo Croce and Tinazzi Italian Experience
In 2001, the Tinazzi family decided to invest in Puglia, with the acquisition of Feudo Croce, a marvellous property in the heart of the Salento region, located on the site of the junction of three ancient roads: Strada Salentina, Via Appia and Limitone dei Greci. A “Menhir” stone, positioned at the entrance of the wine estate, points to the crossing.
When you enter the gate, you are enchanted by the view of this imposing all-white estate. Behind the winery, a panorama of endless vineyards unfolds in all its beauty. Just right for a country walk: it’s simply breathtaking!
The walk starts from the orchard, the garden of aromatic plants, olive trees and then, the endless expanse of vines. The watchword of this place is “nature”.
The estate grows the main grape varieties of Salento: Primitivo, Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera.
Currently, the Tinazzi company, thanks to its well-established wine production and export to more than thirty countries, is concentrating its efforts on a project called “Tinazzi Italian Experience”, that involves the family properties in Veneto and Puglia, and aims to bring wine lovers closer to the everyday life of the cellar.
Feudo Croce, is open to visitors for the discovery of native grape varieties and wine-making techniques. After a walk in the vineyards, a tour can be made of the “Bottaia” with its small barriques and large wooden barrels.
In the winery building, there’s a photographic display of all the steps of wine production, starting from pruning, the most important phase for a winemaker, then moving on to the binding of the spurs. This journey continues with images showing the various stages of grape maturation.
The exhibition continues with harvesting and the arrival of the grapes at the vinification cellars. Pictures then show the destemming process (separation of the grapes from the grape stalks), the crushing process, fermentation and maturation in wooden barrels or in stainless steel tanks, and finally, the bottling process.
The visit concludes with a tasting. On a splendid sunny day, in the great hall of Feudo Croce, visitors can enjoy the experience of tasting Rossofreddo and all the other Tinazzi wines from Salento looking out onto the estate’s vineyards and olive trees outside.
Puglia is a region to be discovered, starting with food and good wine, and continuing with amazing places… including Feudo Croce.
