# Vej 180 Malvasia Orange Wine (2023)

- **Producer:** Podere Pradarolo
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Malvasia di Candia Aromatica
- **Region:** Emilia-Romagna, Italy
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €20
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 12–15 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** rose, orange, peach, apricot, fennel, dried apricot, dried fig

## About this wine

Podere Pradarolo is situated in the Ceno Valley in the hills of Parma, Emilia-Romagna, managed by Alberto Carretti and Claudia Iannelli. Purchased by the Carretti family in 1972, the estate was converted to natural viticulture in 1989. Drawing on his background as a dairy scientist, Alberto adopted extended skin-contact maceration as a natural preservative method, allowing the wines to achieve long-term physical stability without added sulfur dioxide or filtration. The name 'Vej' originates from the local Emilian dialect meaning 'old', referencing ancestral maceration practices, while '180' indicates the total number of days the grape skins remain submerged with the juice during vinification.

## Interesting facts

- 'Vej' translates to 'old' in Emilian dialect, while '180' denotes the 180 days of skin contact maceration.
- Winemaker Alberto Carretti applied his background in dairy science to use skin contact as a natural preservative instead of sulfites.
- A submerged cap mechanism keeps the grape skins continuously underwater for six months to prevent oxidation without chemicals.

## Food pairing

The phenolic tannin structure, high acidity, and intense aromatic complexity of long skin-contact maceration allow this wine to pair excellently with rich cured meats, aged cheeses, and earthy, herb-infused warm dishes.

## Wine making process

Grapes are hand-harvested from certified organic and biodynamic vineyards planted between 1989 and 2005 on limestone-rich loam soils. Spontaneous fermentation occurs with natural indigenous yeasts in concrete tanks without temperature control, sulfur additions, or enological inputs. The wine undergoes 180 days of skin maceration utilizing a submerged cap system ('super immersed cap') with an internal sieve mechanism that holds the grape skins completely below the liquid surface to prevent oxidation. After pressing, the wine rests in stainless steel and fiberglass tanks before spending six months in bottle. It is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and unsulfited.