Borgogno produces exclusively red wines, principally Barolo, to which this text refers.
The vinification is of the traditional method; crushing and de-stemming, fermentation on the skins with a long maceration that allows for best extraction of complex tannins and pigments that, together with alcohol and acidity, are fundamental factors for long aging. Fermentation takes place in tanks of reinforced cement entirely coated. There are two key phases:
1. Violent fermentation, during which the sugars are transformed into alcohol, lasting about 15-20 days. A cap is formed and immersed, pumped over twice daily, at a controlled temperature of 20-25 degrees celsius.
2. Maceration with submersed cap; follows violent fermentation in oak with the grape skins immersed in the newly formed wine. The duration of this phase is variable, lasting anywhere from a week to a month, according to the structural characteristics of the wine. An attentive and constant control of its evolution allows for optimal selection.
Following fermentation, the wine is stored in other tanks and augmented with a light pressing of the grape skins. It remains in these tanks for about a week followed by a first decanting to remove the majority of lees that have formed. This eliminates the risk that the lees will have a negative effect on the wine if left too long.
The wine is then transferred for a second resting period of about a month, after which a final decanting removes all the deposits and impurities of vinification. During this period the malolactic fermentation begins naturally, and is not induced; often this fermentation is interrupted by the cold weather and starts again to comple its natural cycle with the more mild spring weather.
A third transfer at the end of spring removes any deposits left by malolactic fermentation. The wine is racked once a year while aging in casks of Slavonian oak and non-toasted barriques of French oak ranging in size and age (never new) for a period ranging from two to four years according to the characteristics of the vintage.
For all the other wines produced by Borgogno, maceration with submersed cap is not used, and the other phases take place in shorter time than Barolo, again depending on the type of wine. All have the same final phase, though: before bottling the wine is lightly clarified and filtered.
The wine is bottled by gravity feed (the use of pumps is avoided so the wine is not disturbed); the bottles then remain standing for 24 hours to allow the pressures of bottling and corking to diffuse and the cork to set. When boxed, the bottles lay on their side.
For the final stage of bottle aging, the wine is layed in a horizontal position in an ideal environment where it will remain for a period varying according to the type of wine and its age (from 1 to 6 months or more before release).
It is part of the regular practice at the Borgogno winery to leave the most appropriately structured, reserve vintages for prolonged aging of at least five years. This aging gives the wine exceptional roundness and balance, with tremendous development of the bouquet.
Before being served, each bottle should be individually controlled gently decanted allowing any sediment to remain at the bottom of the bottle.
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