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Region
Istria
Grape
Malvasia, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
Soil
Sandclay, heavy clay
Farming
Organic
Notes
Unfined/Unfiltered

Ottocento Bijeli

Clai Winery

54

“Our business lies in Krasica, village in “white” Istria, 40 km across the Croatian border from Trieste. It is a family business encompassing 8 hectares of vineyards and 3 hectars of olive trees. Our wine-growing approach respects the nature in its fullest and is inspired by the principles of our grandparents. The geographic and climate situation is particularly propitious: the air from the Ucka mountain and the sea air that goes up the river Mirna meet here and create an ideal microclimate to cultivate vines and olives. Our principal goal is to enhance our terroir. We produce no wine out of international grape varietals alone. Our 6 labels are wines made of native grapes – Malvasia, Refosco and Muscat – or their blend with international varietals.

Our work in the vineyards is all about quality, not quantity. The density of culture system is high (5,700 plants / hectare) and the yields are kept low. The fertilization is minimal and occasional, using only organic and natural manures.

We do not use any systematic treatments – herbicides, insecticides, commercial fertilizers…

After coming to our cellar, the grapes are vinified in a natural way, with spontaneous fermentation on the skins and without the addition of enzymes, added yeasts or malolactic bacteria. The wines are mellowed in wooden barrels of various sizes, with a long stay on the lees. After nearly a year the wines are bottled without micro- or sterile filtering.

We believe that no year is “good” or “bad” if you work in a natural way – the vintages are just different. They depend on seasonal climatic factors that determine the absolute value of the wine: its quality.”

Ottocento is a cuvée made of Malvazija, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio. Percent of the varietals variaties from harvest to harvest depending about yield. Even though Malvazija often prevails in the wine, Pinot Grigio influences the pink colour of the Ottocento. It is the wine which we keep on 14 to 15 degrees Celsius and which we never drink chilled and which got the name from family joke from the beginning of the production, the story you will hear at the winery.

Grapes are hand picked, de-stemmed and gravity fed into large wooden barrels for maceration which is started with natural yeasts. Malvazija macerates about 15 days and Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc 5 to 6 days on the temperature at 22 to 25 degrees Celsius. We mix the grapes at least three times a day in which period wine undergoes also malo-lactic fermentation. After pressing it is aged at least two years in big wooden barrels (1000 to 2500 l).

-From the producer

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