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Producer Case Study: Bianco Rovere's White Merlot: Comparative Perspective
Read geography, grape resources, and production processes separately.
Raw material
Merlot as a black grape
Pressing.
Gently press to obtain clear juice
Fermentation & Maturation
In 2023, aged in barriques for approximately 8 months.
This is a schematic diagram summarizing the main text. It does not represent production areas or quality rankings. Sources and reference materials
FIELD NOTE 01
The raw material is Merlot.
The technical sheet for Gialdi's Bianco Rovere 2023 describes it as a white Merlot from Ticino DOC. Merlot is a black grape, but if the winemaking process does not extract much from the skins, it can be made as a white wine. This is a good example of distinguishing between grape color and finished wine color.
FIELD NOTE 02
Gently press
The material describes the process of obtaining white juice through gentle pressing. Compare this with the process for red winemaking, where fermentation occurs with the skins in contact with the juice. Focus on skin contact and extraction, rather than describing color differences as the result of a later operation to remove red coloration.
FIELD NOTE 03
White juice into barrels
The juice obtained is fermented and matured in French oak barriques for about 8 months according to the producer's 2023 case. The use of white winemaking does not preclude barrel usage. This period is specific to the 2023 producer example, not a legal minimum for all Ticino white Merlot.
Explain separately the stage to limit extraction from skins after pressing, and subsequent barrel fermentation and maturation.
PAUSE & REFLECT
Check your understanding.
Are the processes of suppressing color and adding barrel flavors at the same stage?
Read the explanation ＋
Explain separately the stage to limit extraction from skins after pressing, and subsequent barrel fermentation and maturation.
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These are the reference materials for the main text. For details of production regulations, consult the current documents. For individual wine specifications, refer to materials for the relevant vintage.
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