C ontessa La azienda vitivinicola di Alessia Berlusconi
a brand new project 9.9 proudly represents the eclectic nature of made in Italy : the ability to match our love for tradition with our courage, sometimes a bit cheeky, to experiment and innovate. What is 9.9? 9.9 is a brand new project. It is a low alcohol (9.5% vol) red wine. It is 100% Marzemino. What s more 9.9 is very healthy because it has a low caloric value while retaining all the benefits of red wine, rich in anthocyanins and precious antioxidant and antimicrobial substances. 9.9 is a versatile red wine that can be enjoyed on several occasions, such as early evening drinks (aperitivi) or fish dinners. It can be served at room temperature, slightly chilled or almost cold. 9.9 begins in the countryside long before it reaches the cellar, fruit of careful and wellinformed winemaking decisions. It results from respectful and strongly supported organic winemaking.
a non-conventional wine grower My family never made wine, I didn t grow up between vineyards and barrels, I never studied oenology. But inside I knew that sooner or later wine would come into my life, not only into my glass... I meant to meet the needs of wine lovers who appreciate red wine yet fearing the high-alcohol products that have populated the market in recent years. But I also wanted my 9.9 to be intense in colour, with captivating aromas and pleasing to the palate, despite its low alcohol content This is the wine that I was looking for, this is my 9.9
crossed destinies Angelo Divittini the wine maker, created 9.9 with Alessia. Alessia and Angelo firmly believe that wine begins in the countryside long before it reaches the cellar. And it is no coincidence that Angelo is both an agronomist and an oenologist. As Alessia keeps saying, only someone who was even crazier than she is, could accept the 9.9 challenge!
searching for the ideal vine Alessia and Angelo selected marzemino to develop the 9.9 project. Marzemino is a native Italian grape variety which is omnipresent in Montenetto winemaking. This vine has a easy-toage polyphenol potential and high anthocyanin content, therefore it produces smooth and intensely coloured wines. For this reason, Alessia and Angelo deemed it the perfect cultivar for their 9.9 project, following careful analysis of the local ampelography.
meeting la contessa In 2009 Alessia happens upon La Contessa, a small-scale producer situated on the slopes of Montenetto, near Brescia; despite being very little known, this area has a simple but fertile soil, capable of generating highly complex red wines. This small square of land, surrounded and sheltered by centuries-old thick oak and willow trees forests - a truly magic and balanced agricultural ecosystem - was love at first sight for Alessia. La Contessa was the perfect place to develop her 9.9 project...
our respect for the territory Since the very first day, La Contessa vineyards have constantly been cultivated with the utmost respect for the environment. In the Summer of 2011 La Contessa started the official conversion to organic wine production and became certified for organic winemaking in September 2014.
how is produced 3 marzemino micro terroirs 9.9 begins in the countryside long before it reaches the cellar, fruit of careful and wellinformed winemaking decisions, as well as painstaking research and empirical work. La Contessa vineyards include 3 Marzemino micro-terroirs, each with their own distinctive phenological properties. The 3 separate lots are cultivated with the aim of enhancing the peculiar features each grape harvest will then provide the wine with.
The purpose of the first harvest is to achieve the best of the fruit, while keeping the alcohol content low. 3harvests The second harvest provides the freshest aromas. The third, the ripest harvest, provides colour, body and complexity. The three parcels are harvested at three different times. The first, which is an early harvest, starts at the end of August, when grapes are not ripe yet. The second harvest is regular and provides the typical Marzemino hints. The third, almost late harvest, takes place at the end of October, giving wine its spine, colour and complexity.
The 3 grape harvests are vinified separately in stainless steel, heatcontrolled vats. The lees are stirred back into the yeasts and the 3 harvests are re-assembled just before bottling, after undergoing different treatments to enhance the peculiar features of each single component. 3 winemaking processes
a unique wine 9.9 is the result of this maniac production process. A wine which is unique and quite impossible to replicate, since it results from daring and even extreme winemaking choices and is a strong expression of its micro-terroir.
everyone has their 9.9 9.9 is daring also with formats: ml 500, perfect for a quick business lunch for two; ml 1000, for 4 to 6 people; ml 1500, the ideal format for an aperitif with friends.
C ontessa azienda vitivinicola di Alessia Berlusconi La Contessa team ALESSIA is the wine producer and 9.9 s mother (by the way, please call it novepuntonove and not novenove if you don t want to make Alessia turn pale ) Alessia sticks her nose everywhere, especially in the glass! alessia.berlusconi@vinilacontessa.it @AlessiaBerlu alessia.berlusconi alessiaberlu alessia.berlusconi MARINA is the director of the company and rules the whole business. The luminous circle around her head is the halo Marina is winning, being the only one who manages to coordinate everybody else and above all to tame the vigneron s crazy ideas (+39) 393 8040365 marina.rivola@vinilacontessa.it CESARE coordinates agents, distributors and, together with Paola, activities abroad. Cesare also organizes events and wine tastings around Italy. His good temper protects his health among all these women (+39) 339 8224620 cesare.roveda@vinilacontessa.it agenti@vinilacontessa.it GIULIA is the sommelier and our winemaker Angelo s right-hand (and left-hand) woman. You will always find her in the countryside or in the cellar. If a young lady with a very strong local accent answers the phone at La Contessa, you cannot be mistaken, it s Giulia! giulia.dioni@vinilacontessa.it PAOLA is responsible for communications, media relations, social media management and, together with Cesare, activities abroad. Paola doesn t talk, she tweets (+39) 334 8224786 paola.sapino@vinilacontessa.it press@vinilacontessa.it @paosapino
C ontessa azienda vitivinicola di Alessia Berlusconi our contacts Cascina Colombaroli Capriano del Colle (Bs) (+39) 030 9747373 (+39) 393 8040365 info@vinilacontessa.it lacontessa.vini www.vinilacontessa.it www.9punto9.it @9punto9 @vinilacontessa facebook/9.9thesocialwine facebook/vinilacontessa