Stefen is an ancient surname of the De Stefani family, as written in old documents dated 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 have been converted to alcohol. Then the wine is dry, with a high percentage of alcohol and with great originality, which always offers new emotions with aging.
Vineyard Stèfen 1624 in the estate of Colvendrame, which is located in the hills between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Colvendrame is the name of the hill on which this vineyard is located; sun exposure and climate are excellent for grapevine cultivation.
Soil with a good balance of all components. It is rich in tuff, which characterizes the wine.
The climate is mild and windy, with extreme temperature changes between day and night, perfect for preserving the aroma and acidity of the grapes.
In order to achieve ideal ripening of the grapes, in addition to the usual care of the vineyard, summer pruning and careful thinning of the leaves are carried out. In addition, the yield is kept very low in order to produce grapes with a rich aroma.
Collection – the end of September, the beginning of October, when the berries are ripe, fully reveal their aromatic properties and smooth out the tannins. They are carefully selected at harvest time and left to dry.
When the grapes reach the desired concentration, they are separated from the stalks, crushed, selecting the best berries, and left to soak during the fermentation, which proceeds slowly, and the must takes all the noble substances and aroma from the skin of the grapes. Then the wine is removed from the sediment and fermentation continues in barriques, where the wine is refined for 36 months. After that, it rests for another 18 months in the bottle.
Very deep ruby color with pomegranate undertones, intense aromas of ripe wild fruits and violets, full body, with clear notes of ripe cherries and blackberries.
Its structure and complexity allow the wine to improve during bottle maturation, which can last up to 50 years, reaching its peak 20-25 years after harvest.