# Le Mat du Raisin (2023)

- **Producer:** Cascina degli Ulivi
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Barbera, Dolcetto
- **Region:** Piemonte, Italy
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €25
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 14–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, raspberry, violet

## About this wine

Cascina degli Ulivi is a pioneering natural wine estate located in Novi Ligure, Piedmont. Originally established in 1977 by Stefano Bellotti, who transitioned the property to biodynamic farming in 1984, the farm operates as a self-sustaining ecosystem with varied crops and livestock. Today, the estate is managed by Stefano's daughter Ilaria Bellotti alongside Filippo Mammone under the official entity Amandis. The wine's name Le Mat draws inspiration from The Fool card in the Marseille Tarot deck, symbolizing freedom and leaping into the unknown, while its subtitle U Guaio originated from a difficult frost vintage that yielded an unexpected, vibrant red blend.

## Interesting facts

- Le Mat references The Fool card from the Marseille Tarot deck, symbolizing faith in the unknown.
- The subtitle U Guaio means The Trouble, named after a frost vintage that fermented unusually slowly.
- Cascina degli Ulivi has practiced Demeter-certified biodynamic farming in Piedmont since 1984.

## Food pairing

The vibrant acidity and supple tannins of this blend allow it to slice through rich fats and earthy flavors while complimenting savory meat dishes without overpowering them.

## Wine making process

Crafted from 60-year-old Barbera and Dolcetto vines grown on iron-rich red clay and limestone soils in Piedmont. The grapes are harvested by hand using Demeter-certified biodynamic principles. In the cellar, 80 percent of the grapes are destemmed while 20 percent remain whole-cluster. Spontaneous fermentation takes place with native yeasts in open wooden vats without temperature control, accompanied by a seven-day submerged-cap skin maceration. The wine is aged for 11 to 12 months on fine lees in large neutral oak casks ranging from 25 to 32 hectoliters. Bottling occurs without fining, filtration, or added sulfur dioxide.