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James Suckling awards for Gracciano

James Suckling awards for Gracciano: 93 Points to the first Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Pieve Gracciano 2021

This new Vino Nobile Pieve Gracciano has a stricter production regulation which foresees:

Grapes grown in a single vineyard of 15 years of age at least
Maximum yield of 7 tons of grapes per hectare
Blend: 85% of Sangiovese minimum. Indigenous red berry Tuscan varieties can be added (Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Mammolo)
Maturation and ageing:: 36 months of which at least 12 months in wood and 12 months in the bottle
A committee of the Consortium will evaluate the quality of the wine before it is released on the market.

Introducing the PIEVE

Last year the neighbouring Vino Nobile di Montepulciano appellation in southern Tuscany has delineated 12 specific subregions within the appellation: the Pieve*

Pieve Cervognano
Pieve Cerliana
Pieve Caggiola
Pieve Sant’Albino
Pieve Valiano
Pieve Ascianello
Pieve San Biagio
Pieve Le Grazie
Pieve Gracciano
Pieve Badia
Pieve Argiano
Pieve Valardegna

* In the past the area of this part of Tuscany was divided into “Pievi”: these were religious and civil constituencies which were represented by a rural church.

Click on the link on the right for more info

The Gracciano Estate is one of the oldest wineries in the Montepulciano region.

In the beginning of the 19th century, Gracciano was owned by the Svetoni family who built the Villa and created the Italian-style gardens that surround it. With over 400 hectares and 22 farms, the very extensive Gracciano Estate also produced a wide variety of typical Tuscan products.

The property was inherited by the current owners, Marco, Vannozza and Galdina della Seta Ferrari Corbelli Greco, through their father Giorgio.

Today, the winery covers roughly 70 hectares of which 20 are vineyards.
The vines grow on the clay and silty soil of the Gracciano hills, one of the oldest and most prestigious crus of Montepulciano.
Already in 1864 the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano produced by the then Svetoni winery (today Gracciano della Seta Estate) was awarded the first prize at the International Fair of Turin.

The cellars of the Gracciano Villa still contain several bottles of wine from exceptional vintage years.
Giorgio della Seta, after working for many years abroad as a manager in a multinational company, decided to return to Tuscany and take up the family Estate.

He proceeded to renew the vineyards and build, in 2013, a new winery alongside the traditional unit which is still used for ageing wine in wood.

The winery has always been run by renowned oenologists (such as Nicolò d’Afflitto from 1985 and Beppe Rigoli since 1995) who ensured that the Tenuta di Gracciano produced an excellent Vino Nobile, fully respecting the terroir and using autochthonous vines.

More info?
Take a look at their website

Borgo Maragliano’s awards update

Borgo Maragliano‘s awards update: Falstaff rated Borgo Maragliano’s Blanc de Blancs Alta Langa 2020 with 93 Points.

ALTA LANGA: The appellation requires a minimum of 30 months on the fine yeast in the bottle to qualify as DOCG.
The first italian Classic Method was born in 1865 in Piedmont – Canelli – a village nearby Loazzolo.
Loazzolo is one of the selected Villages of the Upper Langa.
Starting in the early 1980s, the Galliano Family began experimenting with Chardonnay and Pinot Nero to produce Classic/Champagne Method Sparkling Wines.

PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

100% Chardonnay grapes.
Bottled in the April of the year after harvest and, after dosage and the immediate addition of yeast from the batch, it undergoes second fermentation. At the end of this process, which creates the characteristic foam, the wine continues to mature on lees for about 32 months. During this period the wine loses its herbaceous characteristics and acquires everything it takes to become a very delicate and refined sparkling wine. Then “riddling” and “disgorging” operations prepare it for consumption, which takes place from about three years after harvesting.

TASTING NOTES

A sparkle characterised by very fine chains of bubbles in a pale straw-coloured wine with greenish highlights. The structured bouquet features sensations of fruit, lime, aromatic herbs and honey, with acacia blossom, which bring out the true nature of the Chardonnay grape. The delicious entry makes its very seductive and harmonious as it lingers on the palate. The remarkable flavour of this Blanc de Blancs expresses the true characteristics of a great grape grown in a very hostile terroir.

GASTRONOMIC PAIRINGS

Perfect on its own or as an aperitif accompanied by shellfish, raw fish or fresh cheese.

DETERMINATION AND VISIONARY SPIRIT

Five generations of farmers who have learned to watch the sky and cope with the unpredictability of the climate and natural events.

The first written records of the family date back to an entry in the church registers in 1790, recording the birth of Giovanni, progenitor of the Galliano family, an enterprising, determined and brilliant man who was very proud of his home.

It was 1850 when he decided to purchase the first plot of land in the municipality of Loazzolo. Giovanni had travelled widely, giving him an opportunity to broaden his horizons, and his entrepreneurial mind was filled with the belief that cultivating vines was the way forward

It was the beginning of the twentieth century; a time described as very bitter in the works of Cesare Pavese, which left its mark on the history of the little village of Loazzolo and the Galliano family.

Giovanni’s grandson Carlo died, leaving his wife Teresa to bring up her two young children alone, Giuseppe and Anna Maria. Teresa, obstinate and hard-working, coped with every adversity and never once gave in to the temptation to “run away” from this unfortunate area.

Giuseppe encouraged his son Carlo to study Oenology in Alba and, spurred on by his father, he immediately set to work on the vinification of one of the Langa’s greatest grapes, Moscato.

His passion and dedication knew no ends.

The experience of the generations that had gone before him was reflected in his work, along with the desire for innovation in both the vineyard and the cellar: he challenged his land and himself, attempting something that had never been tried before in these

soils dedicated to the cultivation of Moscato and becoming the first producer of a Traditional Method Sparkling Wine using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The unique pedoclimate proved him right.

Today, Borgo Maragliano is a cellar that is looking to the future once again, through the eyes of the new generation, represented by Carlo and Silvia’s sons: Giovanni, Francesco and Federico.

Take a look at their website and discover more about Borgo Maragliano’s world

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Falstaff: Grandi Rossi Veneti Trophy

Falstaff: Grandi Rossi Veneti Trophy: 91 Points to Cantina Colli Euganei‘s Notte di Galileo and 90 Points to Merlot Rialto.

Made from grapes from selected wineries in the DOC area of the Euganean Hills that participate in the Quality Project, launched by Cantina Colli Euganei in 1998.
The project aims to promote the traditional nature of the area and the grape varieties used to make Colli Euganei Riserva.
The grapes are left to ripen until the optimum harvesting time while checking their condition, sugar content and other important substances. Then the vinification process, carried out by the winemaker, highlights the characteristics of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes through prolonged contact between the must and the skins at a controlled temperature so that all substances can be fully released. After fermentation, the wine is stored in fine oak barrels for 15-18 months so that it can fully age and acquire fragrances and smoothness. Maturation is completed in bottles to give the wine an excellent taste.

The presence of marine fossils in the territory of the Euganean Hills testifies their origin: an archipelago of volcanic islands that emerged 130 million years ago.
The decisive reliefs separated by fresh valleys, the suitable sun exposure and the. mixing of the alluvial deposits with the disintegrated volcanic rocks, they determine intense qualitative characteristics in the grapes.
These peculiarities give the red wines the color and strength they draw from the land, as well as intensity of smell and taste.

Cantina Colli Euganei was born at the center of this tradition. Their history is intertwined with that of the territory, which was the protagonist, since the 1940s, of a reconstruction and a revival based on the enhancement of the wine heritage. The common objective was to arrive at the definition of a Denomination of Origin, with a ‘variety’ approach.
The cooperative, which was born in ’49 and vinified for the first time in ’51, has always been in tune with this choice: offering a diverse range of wines with an authentic identity, an expression of a land and a culture.
Thanks to the expertise of capable and technically prepared men, Cantina Colli Euganei has managed to maintain this spirit until today, knowing how to listen to the evolution of taste and expectations of those who appreciate wine in the world.

Today, as a cooperative, Cantina Colli Euganei brings together about 680 winemakers, spread over the protected area of the Euganean Hills Nature Reserve.

The winery is situated in the heart of the Veneto region, in the middle of an area that has been dedicated to vine and olive tree growing since ancient times. Today, it is acknowledged by the latest regulations of 2010 as a DOC and DOCG area.

The grapes are grown on the farms of the municipalities of Vo’, Rovolon, Torreglia, Galzignano Terme, Lozzo Atestino, Cinto Euganeo, Arquà Petrarca, Este, Baone, comprising 700 hectares of rows of vines and providing an opportunity to best enhance the character of various wines: from fragrant white wines sweetened by the sun to more intense velvety red wines.
The northern slopes give rise to Serprino wines with their young and bubbly character, enriched with hints of flowers and fruit. The areas most exposed to the sun highlight the balanced sweetness of Fior d’Arancio DOCG, whereas the soils to the south provide full-bodied and intense red wines.
This varied morphological landscape, offering soils with different nutrients, is the perfect habitat for highly prestigious native grape varieties such as Serprina, Moscato Giallo, Moscato Bianco and Pinella, as well as international varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

More info?
Take a look at their website

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Masottina’s awards’ update

Masottina‘s awards’ update: GuidaBio awarded the Prosecco Superiore DOCG Costabella and the Prosecco Brut DOC Costabella with respectively a Golden Leaf and 5 Leaves.

Guida Bio is the only national guide dedicated exclusively to wines from organic farming and was created with the aim of promoting the green and eco-sustainable choices of the wine world and other sectors of agricultural production.
Organic farming is a difficult challenge, but it is also a path of responsibility in the production of goods and in safeguarding the opportunities of future generations, environmental sustainability and manufacturing processes.
Today, more and more producers are involved in this world, driven by environmental, social and consumer protection motivations.
Organic is a choice of awareness, ethics, foresight, respect and quality.

Guida Bio was created with the aim of collecting and describing the products and experiences of those who have decided to take this path, with reviews of products and companies that have decided to embrace this agricultural conduct by adhering to strict certification specifications.

Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Costabella Brut

This wine, created by the third generation of the Dal Bianco family, comes from vineyards cultivated using organic methods that observe Nature’s timing, without forcing the plant to produce a high yield and without using chemical fertilisers. The wine is sleek, flavourful and pleasant on the palate with the balance of acidity and softness enhanced in the lingering aromatic finish.

Prosecco Costabella Brut

This elegant, harmonious wine, with its lingering, citrusy finish, reveals balanced acidity and softness in perfect harmony with the Masottina style, here interpreting organically the tradition of Prosecco DOC. Full-bodied, creamy and lively, with excellent harmony of softness and fruity freshness. Elegant and well-balanced, the finish is persistent and citrusy.

COLLECTION COSTABELLA

Vini Prosecco Biologico

The organic soul of Masottina, dedicated to the locality of Costabella, which takes us from Collalbrigo to the G. B. Cerletti Oenology School, Conegliano.

The wines come from the Dal Bianco family’s third generation vineyards, which they have created to give special impetus to the concept of sustainability and environmental friendliness

A passion born in the vineyard

With every harvest for the past more than 75 years the Dal Bianco family has renewed its roots and inspiration. For this family, being winemakers means passing on over the years and generations the continuous thrill of taking care of Mother Nature’s precious gifts.
Masottina wines have their roots in the 220 hectares of vineyards acquired over the years by the family. Vine growing is the result of synergies between a constantly forward-looking approach and attention to origins, united by a common theme that enhances the different terroirs. These are the factors that inspire the entire vinification process, through to the final selection, to create well-balanced wines, sealed with the names of the locations they represent the most.

The winery is the place where winemaking spirit is fully expressed, maintaining the promise made years ago by Adriano Dal Bianco, who strived to vinify his grapes accurately and rapidly to keep them from oxidising. Today this approach involves painstaking tasks, from selecting grapes on the vine to getting them to the winery first thing in the morning, where a second selection takes place.

Gravity is their ally in vinification: it starts when the grapes enter the winery, goes through soft pressing and conveys the must to the fermenting vats. Maturation in tanks and careful monitoring lead to Masottina wines, the result of familiar rituals representing outstanding historic terroirs, selection from a single vineyard or clever cuvée blending.
Only in this way can the flavour and aroma potential of each combination be defined, and the wine be able to fully express them in an elegant, limpid product.

The Masottina method is therefore an ancestral link constantly evolving through observance of traditions and interpretation of the future, elements with a common spirit inspired by a unique territory and a family passion with its own unmistakable style.

Take a look at the producer’s website and discover more about Masottina’s world

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Torre Raone’s awards’ update

Torre Raone’s awards’ update.

A golden leaf for Torre Raone‘s flagship and 5 leaves for the Trebbiano senza solfiti and the Cerasuolo.

Guida Bio is the only national guide dedicated exclusively to wines from organic farming and was created with the aim of promoting the green and eco-sustainable choices of the wine world and other sectors of agricultural production.
Organic farming is a difficult challenge, but it is also a path of responsibility in the production of goods and in safeguarding the opportunities of future generations, environmental sustainability and manufacturing processes.
Today, more and more producers are involved in this world, driven by environmental, social and consumer protection motivations.
Organic is a choice of awareness, ethics, foresight, respect and quality.

Guida Bio was created with the aim of collecting and describing the products and experiences of those who have decided to take this path, with reviews of products and companies that have decided to embrace this agricultural conduct by adhering to strict certification specifications.

Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo Terre dei Vestini San Zopito 2018

Unique, inimitable and unforgettable wine takes its name in honor of the patron saint of Loreto Aprutino, San Zopito.
An indigenous wine even in its name, Zopito being an exclusive name of Loreto Aprutino.

100% Montepulciano D’Abruzzo

Trebbiano d’ Abruzzo senza solfiti aggiunti 2023

The Deer, a shy animal, tends to feed on shoots and its presence is clearly evident from the footprints it leaves in our vineyards when it goes in search of food. Solitary but also tender, this Trebbiano represents a real taste surprise.

100% Trebbiano d’Abruzzo

Cerasuolo d’ Abruzzo 2023

The clever and cunning Fox creates admiration and curiosity in those who can see it. Her character is reflected in this wine, young, fresh, pleasant and with balanced acidity.

100% Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo

White vinification after a short cryomaceration in the press (6 hours) of the free-run must

The producer:
Torre Raone, located in Loreto Aprutino, at 350 meters above sea level and at the foot of the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park, was born in 1997 when Luciano, a farmer originally from Tollo, bought this 35-hectares company.

The wines:
Organic since 2006
From the original 12 hectares of vineyards to today there are 29 hectares dedicated to the production of wine grapes, of these, 5 hectares are the old tents planted by the previous owners way back in 1969.

The old barn was transformed into a cellar and in 2006 the production of organic wines began.

Take a look at the producer’s website and discover more about Torre Raone’s world

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Masseria del Feudo’s awards’ update

Masseria del Feudo‘s awards’ update: we are glad to share these recent awards by Wine Enthusiast and James Suckling with you.

Grillo Sicilia Voce di Lago 2023

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Nero d’Avola Viarossa 2022

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“Straw yellow with golden highlights.
It opens with a fine and clean scent with a good complexity typical of the variety. Citrus notes, acacia honey and typical floral scents. On the palate the fruity part maintains maturity and sweetness well supported by good flavor and acidity.”

“intense ruby red with notes of fresh fruit which blend perfectly with hints of dark chocolate, leather and pepper. On the palate fresh, dynamic, with velvety and silky tannins.”

Nero d’Avola Rosso delle Rose 2021

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Nero d’Avola Masseria del Feudo 2022

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“Intense ruby red, characterized by a complex and intriguing aromatic profile (ripe black fruit, licorice, spices and tobacco). Silky and enveloping, with good compactness and persistence, supported by a typical acidity that makes it dynamic and savory.”

“Intense ruby red. The nose is full of ripe fruits and herbs. Plums and blueberries but also lavender, laurel and fresh tea. The taste is soft and lively with just enough freshness, tannins and length. “

Nero d’Avola Viarossa 2021

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Syrah Sicilia 2022

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“intense ruby red with notes of fresh fruit which blend perfectly with hints of dark chocolate, leather and pepper. On the palate fresh, dynamic, with velvety and silky tannins.”

“Intense ruby red color with purple reflections. On the nose intense aroma of ripe red fruit, menthol notes and sweet spices that give it great complexity.
On the palate the entrance is soft and enveloping, rich and balanced. “

“Masseria del Feudo is not just a company”

Its history is a family history, whose values and ideals are powered from Francesco and Carolina, fourth generation of agriculture entrepreneurs.

Tradition and innovation are the driving forces of Francesco and Carolina Cucurullo of the Sicilian estate Massaria del Feudo. The estate owns around 110 hectares of grain, fruit and olives

The vineyards:

15 hectares of organic certified vineyards planted with Nero d’Avola, Syrah, Grillo, Frappato and Nerello Mascalese.
The hilly location of the vineyards guarantees a good temperature range between day and night, which favors the optimal ripening of the berries and the concentration of the juices.

20 hectares of orchards: 13 different varieties of peaches and nectarine, 3 of plums and 2 apricots.

3 hectares of olive clovers of Nocellara and Carolea

The company is 100% organic certified

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New awards for Zenato

Selections Mondiales des Vins 2024: Zenato’s the Amarone Classico della Valpolicella 2019 and the Ripassa received respectively a Grand Gold and a Gold Medal

The jewel of Zenato’s production, this wine is made from a selection of top grapes from Valpolicella Classica grown in Sant’Ambrogio township (Corvina, Rondinella, Oseleta, and Croatina).

The grapes are dried for 4 months and crushing is not carried out until January. Slow fermentation with skin contact follows and then the wine is aged for 36 months in large-format Slavonian casks.

It is then aged in bottle before being released

A majestic wine, intense and ethereal, with notes of bay leaf and distillate-cured cherries.

The impressive balance between all its components makes it ideal for long-term aging.

As soon as the dried grapes for the Amarone have completed fermentation, a top selection of Valpolicella grapes “passes over” (ripassa) the Amarone pomace, thus resulting in a second brief fermentation

This will result into a higher alcohol content, deeper color and rich flavor and aroma. After aging in French tonneaux for 18-20 months, the wine will spend other 6 months in bottle before release.

The process makes for a refined and concentrated wine, extremely smooth and velvety, with vibrant red fruit aromas.

On the palate, it delivers fruity notes and elegant tannin with hints of chocolate and spice.

Zenato. The soul of Lugana and the Heart of Valpolicella.

Two faces: One white, the other red, both emblems of high-quality wines that are born through a visceral passion for the land, through respect for time, through a family tradition that has championed local grape varieties for 60 years.

Zenato: the story of a family that firmly planted its roots in the land. It was made possible thanks to the passion and entrepreneurial vision of the estate’s founder, Sergio, who managed to fulfill his greatest dream: to create a winery capable of harvesting the fruits of the earth and transform them into emotions with matchless flavor.

Today, more than 60 years later, the results are testament to his extraordinary vision. A wonderful story took shape thanks to his vision and today its star is his family: Wife Carla and children Alberto and Nadia.
Their eyes and their heart continue down the path that Sergio laid out with great clarity as he steadied the course toward quality and love for their land. Over time, that land wasn’t just Lugana but also Valpolicella, with its celebrated red wines and their matchless aromas.

Taking over the Costalunga estate, in the heart of Valpolicella Classica, Sergio Zenato wanted to measure himself in a new venture, after making the most out of his Lugana vineyards: to make it a model vineyard, beautiful to look at, cared for in every detail, in which to apply modern agronomic techniques and at the same time resume the traditional methods that had defined the Valpolicella landscape.

In a thorough manner, Sergio Zenato drew the distribution on the land of the vines selected for the production of the different wines, going so far as to indicate the direction of the rows so that the vines could receive maximum benefits from the sun. He took special care to make the soil work well to achieve a dry and permeable soil without water retention.

A passionate dedication that we read in the construction of the characteristic dry-stone walls, at first sight elegant support structures, in actual fact an efficient containment system that guarantees the vine the three fundamental elements it needs: the warmth of the sun and the ventilation of air and water thanks to the gaps existing between the stones of the walls and the flaky crumbles of the subsurface.

For more info, take a look at their website

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Paltrinieri’s Piria: BEST BUY

Congratulations to Cantina Paltrinieri!
The Lambrusco di Sorbara Piria 2023 has been selected as #2 wine on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Best Buy Wines for 2024.

Lambrusco di Sorbara Piria 2023

Points: 94
Ranking: 2nd
Tasting notes: “The nose of this stunning frizzante reveals a distinct interplay between fresh bay leaf, thyme and crushed cherries, delicately sprinkled with rose petals. On the palate, it offers a mouthwatering mix of freshly chopped raspberries, green herbs, and a hint of white pepper, accompanied by subtle gamy notes. Versatile and delightful, it pairs wonderfully with a range of dishes, from pizza to sushi, promising to please all palates. Polaner Selections.”

Grapes: 70% Lambrusco Sorbara and 30% Lambrusco Salamino
Colour: pale ruby red, with a very fine and persistent perlage
Nose: scents of apple skin, red fruits and strawberry
Palate: Dry , fruity and salty
Pairing: With cured meats, tortellini in broth, bollito misto and red meats
ABV: 11%
Serving temperature: 10-12°C

The producer:

Cantina Paltrinieri is located in Cristo di Sorbara, near the Modena state, in a small town, near the Secchia and Panaro rivers, the historic scene of the street.

Run by Alberto Paltrinieri and family it was created by his grandfather in the 1920s and owns around 15 hectares of vineyards in the Cristo area, one of the most important for this kind of wine.
The vines are located in an ideal position and they alone produce all the grapes from which the wines are made. Here we are at the heart of the Lambrusco di Sorbara production area in the province of Modena, in the region of Emilia. Paltrinieri Lambrusco di Sorbaras stand out for their finesse and distinctive taste.

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Zenato’s Recioto: 93 Pts by James Suckling

Zenato‘s Recioto 2019 has been awarded with 93 Pts by James Suckling.
Proud of such an high rating for this interesting dessert wine of Zenato.

The wine:
Did you know that the term Recioto comes from the Veronese dialectal word recia meaning ear?

The name is used to denote the small side bunches that “crown” the larger clusters. According to local tradition, their fruit is considered to be the best.

This dessert wine lights up the glass with its vibrant nuanced colors. It’s marvelous when served with chocolate fondue but it also pairs well with any oven-fired dessert, like Verona-style pandoro, classic panettone, or even crunchy cookies.

Zenato’s world:

The story of Zenato is the story of a family that firmly planted its roots in the land. It was made possible thanks to the passion and entrepreneurial vision of the estate’s founder, Sergio, who managed to fulfill his greatest dream: to create a winery capable of harvesting the fruits of the earth and transform them into emotions with matchless flavor.

Today, more than 60 years later, the results are testament to his extraordinary vision. A wonderful story took shape thanks to his vision and today its star is his family: Wife Carla and children Alberto and Nadia.
Their eyes and their heart continue down the path that Sergio laid out with great clarity as he steadied the course toward quality and love for their land. Over time, that land wasn’t just Lugana but also Valpolicella, with its celebrated red wines and their matchless aromas.

awards italianwines james suckling winelovers zenato

Podere Il Castellaccio: new high prize by Decanter

Podere Il Castellaccio: new high prize by Decanter.

94 Points for the Bolgheri Superiore Il Castellaccio 2021.

BOLGHERI SUPERIORE IL CASTELLACCIO 2021

Points

0

Grape variety: Cabernet Franc, Pugnitello
Climate: the area enjoys a temperate climate with very long summers that offer excellent exposure during the daytime. The winter is quite mild.
Training system: spur pruning system
Fermentation: the fermentation takes place by means of indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks temperature controlled with a maceration on the skins from 45 to 50 days.
Aging: after racking the wine is kept in French oak barriques for 12 months and in amphorae of ceramic composition for further 12 months. After bottling further ageing in bottles for at least 6 months.

What’s in the label?
The graphics were entrusted to an Italian artist from Castagneto Carducci, Andrea Carciola, here the thought of combining the two passions of the owner the horse and the terroir through the vineyard.

The producer:

An historic Estate

The passion of one man marks the beginning of the history of Podere Il Castellaccio. In the 1960s, Luigi Corradini, the maternal grandfather of current owner Alessandro Scappini, found an estate of 18 hectares on the hills of Castagneto Carducci. The area is Bolgheri, a place that was not yet world famous and had nothing to recommend it other than the essence of the land and the potential it had to produce great wine.
To plant his first vineyards Luigi was only able to use grapes that were native to the Chianti and Scansano area. Thus were Pugnitello, Foglia Tonda, Sangiovese planted – just a few hectares, native wine varieties and a small wine cellar. Over the years, the management of the estate gradually transitioned into the hands of his son Roberto.

However, it was only in 2009 that the winery Podere Il Castellaccio was founded by Alessandro Scappini, the third generation in charge of the estate.
Alessandro Scappini, born and raised in Bolgheri, decided indeed to work with a 60 years old family vineyard planted with ancient varieties. In the meantime he also starts growing the signature grapes of the DOC and makes his debut on the market with its first Bolgheri wine with the vintage 2015. His path inside the DOC is completed in the vintage 2018 when his Bolgheri Superiore Il Castellaccio is born and it was released for the first time on the market at the begin of 2021.

Podere Il Castellaccio is situated in Castagneto Carducci, across the seaward side of Segalari Hills, at an altitude of 194 meters a.s.l.
Due to its geographic position, the vineyards enjoy a Mediterranean climate, with more solar radiations, a better thermal excursion and a higher ventilation.

Not only Bolgheri

“A sip from the past, while looking to the future” is the catchphrase used by this highly-manicured Bolgheri winery.

The family passion and the expertise added by the winemaker Attilio Pagli have the aim to tell the story of the region through the salvaging of ancient varieties that are inextricably linked to the tradition of Tuscan wine, specifically in the area of Bolgheri.

The older vineyards, occupying more than 2 hectares, are planted with Tuscan natives Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, Foglia Tonda and Pugnitello.

6 labels:

More info?
Take a look at the website

awards decanter italianwines podere il castellaccio tuscany winelovers

James Suckling awards for Gracciano

Borgo Maragliano’s awards update

PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

TASTING NOTES

GASTRONOMIC PAIRINGS

Falstaff: Grandi Rossi Veneti Trophy

Masottina’s awards’ update

COLLECTION COSTABELLA

Torre Raone’s awards’ update

Masseria del Feudo’s awards’ update

New awards for Zenato

Zenato. The soul of Lugana and the Heart of Valpolicella.

Paltrinieri’s Piria: BEST BUY

Lambrusco di Sorbara Piria 2023

Zenato’s Recioto: 93 Pts by James Suckling

Podere Il Castellaccio: new high prize by Decanter

BOLGHERI SUPERIORE IL CASTELLACCIO 2021

The producer:

An historic Estate

Not only Bolgheri

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