Gualtallary has emerged as one of the most important viticultural regions in the world and it is Rutini Wines’ ongoing quest to maintain its place among the very best wineries in the area. To further this goal, head winemaker Mariano Di Paola has embarked upon numerous projects that explore the full potential of the region so as to ensure the continued excellence of the wines Rutini produces. Evidence of his success arrived once more at the Decanter Wine World Awards 2021 when, for the second year running, Rutini Single Vineyard Gualtallary Cabernet Franc 2018 received a top award.
Precision winegrowing
Located in Tupungato – in the Uco Valley – with 180ha under vine at an altitude of between 1000 and 1200m above sea level, Rutini Wines pioneered the cultivation of Cabernet Franc in Gualtallary back in 1996.
Planted alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, in 2005 the vines were relocated to a site 1200 metres above sea level in rocky, alluvial soils low in organic matter and rich in calcium sediment. ‘We knew that the higher altitude would deliver a cooler climate,’ says Di Paola.
Later on, in 2016 the implementation of vegetation tracking through spectral analysis from drones made it possible to identify the best rows and set them aside for the Single Vineyard range. This was without doubt a major landmark in the winery’s recent history, but today Di Paola anticipates going even further: ‘Precision viticulture allows us to envision a future in which our best wines are made according to a single vine approach.’
The Platinum wine
‘The 2018 harvest was one of the best in recent decades,’ says Di Paola. Dry with mild weather in the high altitude vineyards, the harvest produced some incredible Cabernet Francs from Gualtallary.
Carefully made using oak roll fermentors with native yeast and aged for 12 months in barrels, Rutini Single Vineyard Gualtallary Cabernet Franc 2018 reaffirmed the wine’s Platinum status (97 points) at DWWA 2021, an honour that positions it as one of the best Cabernet Francs in the world.
Rutini Lab, a gateway to the future
Excellence and innovation have always been key pillars of Mariano Di Paola’s working philosophy. ‘We’re global leaders in research and development,’ the winemaker says proudly and, to celebrate the completion of the 41st harvest of his career, he has founded an experimental winery to work with the vineyards’ choicest grapes. This new project, which has a capacity of 100,000 litres distributed between barrels and various shaped tanks ranging between 500 and 2500 litres in size and made of different materials in different formats, seeks to take the degree of precision to unprecedented levels, making Rutini Wines a genuine leader on the global viticulture scene.
Discover more: www.rutiniwines.com
