The
noble Frattina family first appeared in this region before the year 1000. Since
that time the lords of Frattina bound their destinies to these lands for almost
a millennium. In the 1600’s the Counts of Frattina founded a wine-making cellar
which remained under their control for almost four hundred years. It’s no coincidence
that both the property rights to the cellar and the control of its operation were
assumed by two families that are an integral part of the industrial history of
Italy: the Zanussis, and then, the Avernas. A relatively simple explanation can
be made for the two thousand year old cultivation of the grapevine in the area:
the succession of owners with such great names and prestige, and the land surrounding
the Villa which occupies an exquisitely clay terrain that bestows body, color,
tannin, and the high sugar concentration that leads to a generous alcohol content
at the heart of a good wine.
Even more important, the clay layer hides and conserves a precious feature that
lies below; a mantle of calcium which is rich in trace elements that are essential
for creating wine with a truly refined character. This priceless layer is also
able to hold moisture for a long time and release it during periods of limited
rainfall. The grape harvest is carefully performed by hand so that only whole
grapes reach the cellar. The bunches of grapes are subjected to a soft type of
pressing, and steeping is individually calibrated to suit the variety of grapes
being processed. The musts are refrigerated and centrifuged as soon as they are
formed, and are then allowed to ferment for the time required. After filtration,
the wines are bottled in the Spring: however, certain red wines are allowed to
age in Slavonian oak barrels or in kegs.| Search for Villa Frattina Wines to Purchase online |