VANDALS IN MONTALCINO: DESTROYED IN THE NIGHT THE ENTIRE PRODUCTION (2007-2012) OF CASE BASSE WINERY, A SMALL BUT PRESTIGIOUS PRODUCER OF BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO. THE OWNER GIANFRANCO SOLDERA TOLD WINENEWS

Vandalism in Montalcino in one of the smaller but most prestigious companies of Brunello di Montalcino, Case Basse - 23 hectares of which 6.5 hectares of vineyards for a production of 10.000 bottles per year – during the night the entire production from 2007 to 2012 was destroyed in the wine cellar (more than 600 hectoliters of wine). Gianfranco Soldera, owner of the estate confirmed the news to WineNews. According to what Winenews has gathered about the incident, no bottles of wine, materials or other goods were stolen.
Gianfranco Soldera and his wife Graziella bought the winery in Montalcino in 1972. The Case Basse farm is 23 hectares, located nearly 350 meters above sea level, facing mainly southwest, overlooking the Maremma territory.
Today, as then, there are only 6 and half acres of vineyards. In the cellar there is no steel, but vinification takes place in wooden vats, fermentation without temperature controls using the coldness of the cellar (completely underground), very long maceration of the skins and indigenous yeasts. No filtering or clarification, a long time in the barrels (only large ones are used) and aging in the bottle. The only counselor is Giulio “short glass” Gambelli (until shortly before his death), contributions to research (since 1994) on the lees by Professor Massimo Vincenzini of the University of Florence, and viticulture by Professor Mario Fregoni’s team of the Catholic University in Piacenza.