centennial mountain vineyard Large wooden fermentation tank with metal bands and valves, marked with "CM" logo, in a dimly lit space.

From the steep slopes of Sicily’s Mount Etna to the rolling hills of Piedmont, Italian winemaking is deeply rooted in traditional methods.

At Centennial Mountain we embrace these time-honored methods and avoid intervention in order to showcase the purity and focus these varieties can achieve. This philosophy, which emphasizes expressing the unique character of these native Italian varieties when grown in a completely new viticultural area, is built around the following core ideas:

  • All viticulture is strictly organic, with minimal inputs, allowing the site to dictate the character of the final wine.
  • Careful site selection combined with conscientious farming and the appropriate clone and rootstock choices allows for optimal and balanced ripeness.
  • Winemaking that emphasizes the natural expression of character, with fermentations utilizing indigenous yeast without the use of nutrients or other additives.
  • Red fermentations are done primarily in open-top oak vats, many with submerged cap, a common practice among traditional producers of Nebbiolo.
  • White fermentations are done in temperature-controlled large oak casks to capture and preserve the delicate aromatics.
  • Aging through extensive use of large oak casks allows for gentle maturation in the cellar without disguising the more delicate aromas and flavors with overt new oak.