Haiku was first produced in 2009 and is a blend of three varieties: 50% Sangiovese, with the remainder split equally between Cabernet Franc and Merlot. During the planting of the second section of the Montebuoni vineyard—completed in 2001—the decision was made to experiment with a noble international variety, Cabernet Franc, which had not previously been used at Ama.
However, following a careful analysis of soil and climate conditions, it was hypothesized that Cabernet Franc could yield excellent results;
consequently, in 2001, two small plots were planted—
identified in estate records as numbers 84 and 85, measuring 1.47 ha and 0.47 ha respectively,
for a total area of ??2 hectares—
using clone 214 (a Bordeaux clone prized
for its ability to produce wines suitable for long aging)
on 110R rootstock. Exposure: northwest/southeast
Soil: clay-limestone
Altitude: 508–420 meters a.s.l.
Training system: Merlot and Cabernet Franc are trained using the simple Guyot system, while Sangiovese is trained using the spurred cordon system.
Planting density: 5,200 vines/ha
First vintage produced: 2009
Blend: 50% Sangiovese; 25% Cabernet Franc; 25% Merlot.
Clones: Cabernet Franc 214; Merlot 181 and 343; Sangiovese CH21, CH22, CC 2002, and CC 2004. Rootstock: 420A.
RIFUGIO
Climate:
Summer arrived late, and veraison began in early August. Splendid, hot, sunny summer days continued until mid-September, when temperatures dropped again—especially at night—delaying the harvest. Harvesting took place on September 26 for Merlot, October 2 for Sangiovese, and October 12 for Cabernet Franc.
Harvest dates were determined following extensive sampling and analysis, evaluating both organoleptic qualities in the vineyard and laboratory data. Harvesting was carried out strictly by hand using 10–12 kg crates; the grapes then underwent further selection on a sorting table.
Vinification: Fermentation was initiated using indigenous yeasts and conducted separately for each variety in temperature-controlled steel tanks (30°–32°C), involving manual pump-overs and a total maceration period (*cuvaison*) of 25 days for Sangiovese, 25 days for Merlot, and 26 days for Cabernet Franc.
After racking, the wine was transferred to barriques for malolactic fermentation. Aging: Upon completion of malolactic fermentation, the three varieties were blended. The wine was then transferred back into fine-grained oak barriques—30% new and the remainder second-fill—for 12 months. Bottling took place on August 2, 2015, yielding 10,450 Bordeaux-style bottles and 1,110 magnums.
Color: Deep purple-red with ruby ??highlights. Aroma: Fruity, with hints of forest fruits—particularly blackberry—and spicy, with notes of ripe bell pepper, green bell pepper, nutmeg, and sandalwood.
Hints of balsamic, almost menthol-like notes.
Taste: Rich, powerful, elegant, smooth, and persistent.
Alcohol content: 13%
Total acidity: 5.4 g/l
Residual sugar: = 1 g/l
Extract: 29.3 g/l