Stefen is an ancient surname of the De Stefani family, as written in old documents dating back to 1624 found in Refrontolo. With this wine they wanted to bring back the old Marzemino vinification process from Refrontolo. In fact, as before, the grapes are dried naturally and the wine continues to ferment until all the sugars are converted into alcohol. Then the wine is dry, with a high alcohol percentage and great originality that offers always new emotions with ageing.
The Stèfen 1624 vineyard of the Colvendram estate, which is located in the hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Colvendram is the name of the hill on which this vineyard is located; the exposure to the sun and the climate are excellent for growing vines.
A soil with a good balance of all components. It is rich in tuff, which characterises the wine.
The climate is mild and windy, with sharp temperature variations between day and night, ideal for preserving the flavour and acidity of the grapes.
To achieve perfect ripening of the grapes, summer pruning and careful thinning of the leaves are carried out in addition to the usual vineyard maintenance. In addition, the harvest is kept very low in order to obtain grapes with a rich flavour.
Harvest - late September, early October, when the berries have ripened, fully developed their aromatic properties and smoothed out tannins. They are carefully selected at harvest time and left to dry.
When the grapes reach the right concentration, they are separated from the stalks, crushed, selecting the best berries, and left to soak during fermentation, which proceeds slowly and the must takes all the noble substances and aromas from the grape skins. The wine is then skimmed off the lees and continues fermentation in barriques, where the wine is finished for 36 months. After that it rests for another 18 months in the bottle.
Very deep ruby colour with garnet hues, intense aromas of ripe wild fruit and violets, full body, with clear notes of ripe cherry and blackberry.
Its structure and complexity allow the wine to improve during maturation in bottle, which can last up to 50 years, reaching its peak 20-25 years after harvest.