Name: Aurora Italianas CONTE DI COMPIANO | CARLO SCALA CABERNET PRIMITIVO Recipe
Cook time: 72 h
Total time: 72 h
Yield: 25 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes; 40 percent Primitivo (Zinfandel) grapes; 5 g Winemaking yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae); 30 mg Potassium metabisulfite (for SO2); 0.5 g Tartaric acid (if needed for adjustment); 2 g Nutrient (DAP / complex nutrient); 2 units Oak barrels or oak chips (optional for aging); 0.5 liters Water (for rinsing and minor adjustments)

Med Bag of Chips

Ham, cheddar cheese, fresh tomatoes, and arugula.

Ham and Cheese Sandwich

Sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato, and mustard in a whole wheat wrap.

Fit Turkey Wrap

Harvest Cabernet Sauvignon and Primitivo grapes when both reach optimal phenolic ripeness and balanced sugar/acid levels. Aim for ~24–26 Brix for Primitivo and 23–25 Brix for Cabernet, with total acidity around 5–7 g/L and pH 3.4–3.6.

Harvest timing

Transport grapes to the winery quickly in small bins to avoid crushing; keep grapes cool and process within 12 hours of harvest.

Destem and crush both grape lots separately or together depending on blending plan. For an integrated ferment, combine whole crushed grapes to achieve the target 60% Cabernet / 40% Primitivo proportion by weight.

Perform a 2–3 day cold soak at 8–12°C to extract color and aromas gently before active fermentation begins. Monitor for any undesirable microbial activity and add 30 mg/L potassium metabisulfite at crush if microbial control is needed.

Bring must temperature up to 22–26°C to start fermentation. Rehydrate selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast according to manufacturer instructions and add to the must. Typical inoculation rate: 20–30 g/hL; the ingredient list provides 5 g for small-scale trial—adjust proportionally for production volumes.

Add yeast nutrient (approximately 20–30 g/hL DAP or a complex nutrient—represented here as 2 g for small batch) according to nutrient regimen (split additions: one at inoculation and one mid-fermentation).

Punch down or pump over skins 2–3 times daily to maintain extraction and temperature homogeneity. Monitor Brix/fermentation progress daily. Maintain fermentation temperature: Cabernet benefit at 24–28°C; Primitivo can run slightly warmer but target a combined 24–26°C to balance varietal character.

When sugar is nearly depleted (around 2–3 Brix), drain free-run wine and press remaining skins. Combine press fractions as desired. Set tanks or barrels aside for malolactic fermentation (MLF). If spontaneous MLF is not desired or reliable, inoculate with Oenococcus oeni. Maintain MLF at 18–22°C until malic acid is consumed.

Once MLF completes, rack the wine off gross lees after several weeks to help clarify. Add a low dose of potassium metabisulfite (target free SO2 ~25–30 mg/L) to protect wine; the ingredient list includes 30 mg as a trial small-batch dose—scale as required.

Age the wine in neutral stainless steel or in oak to desired style. For structure and oak influence reminiscent of Conte di Compiano style, age 6–12 months in French or American oak barrels (one to two units specified), or use oak chips/toast in tank. Taste periodically and rack as needed to reduce lees.

Top up barrels or tanks to minimize oxygen exposure. Monitor free SO2 and total SO2 throughout aging; adjust with potassium metabisulfite if necessary to maintain protection.

Stabilize cold if tartaric crystals are a concern (perform cold stabilization). If clarification is needed, use fining agents (e.g., bentonite, gelatin) according to lab trials. Filter to desired microbiological and particulate stability.

Prior to bottling, adjust sulfur to target free SO2 (commonly 25–35 mg/L depending on pH). Bottle under inert gas if possible. Use standard red wine closures (cork or screw cap) and label. Age further in bottle for several months before release to allow integration.

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes

Primitivo (Zinfandel) grapes

Winemaking yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)

Potassium metabisulfite (for SO2)

Tartaric acid (if needed for adjustment)

Nutrient (DAP / complex nutrient)

Oak barrels or oak chips (optional for aging)

Water (for rinsing and minor adjustments)

CONTE DI COMPIANO | CARLO SCALA CABERNET PRIMITIVO

Make CONTE DI COMPIANO | CARLO SCALA CABERNET PRIMITIVO Recipe in just 72h . CABERNET/PRIMITIVO

CONTE DI COMPIANO | CARLO SCALA CABERNET PRIMITIVO

Descriptors

Tasting Notes

Food Pairings

You might also like