Grandezza 2019

From budburst to vintage, a warm summer and long autumn allowed for perfect ripeness ensuring excellent sugar levels, concentration and polyphenolic maturity. All three grape varieties were handpicked from the lowest yield beginning with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and completed with the Sangiovese on slightly cooler soils mid-April.

'Perfectly healthy, destemmed grapes allowed for a long cold soak to extract the superb flavours, beneficial antioxidants and nutrients from the skins to be available for the yeast to use. The period of cold soaking also allows indigenous yeast to grow and start the fermentation without a lot of temperature. A long cool wild yeast fermentation was followed by a post maceration period with emphasis to preserving aromas, extracting colour and encouraging desirable tannins that are supple and elegant. After gentle pressing the young wines were transferred into French Barriques for a natural malolactic fermentation, accentuating aromatic finesse and complexity. After an initial period in barrel for 18 months the final blend was made before completing barrel aging. The minimal oxygen exchange over a long 24 months of total maturation on the fine lees softened and smoothed tannin and acidity without too much wood tannin extraction. The wines and wood married together to form a richer, more complex and textured wine, able to age for many years in the bottle. No cost spared, the blend underwent an additional nine month of bottle ageing. No fining. No filtration. Minimum effective SO2.'

On the nose it’s remarkably complex with notes of Cassis-black current and red cherries that merge with sweet herbs and hints of spices. There is a mist of cedar-smokiness and delicate sensations of white pepper. Amazing complexity, depth and balance. Structured, seamless, pure and perfectly integrated for a crescendo of power sustained by exceptional freshness that gives the wine  length, elegance and persistence of flavours.

From hearty Pasta to grilled or roasted meat. Think Tuscany’s famous Florentine-style beef steak ‘Bistecca Fiorentina’ and awake under the Tuscan or Marlborough sun, Benissimo!

The Real Review - 95 points

'A blend of 50% sangiovese, 25% cabernet franc, 25% cabernet sauvignon. Although the dark berry, cedar and black olive flavours of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc dominate, sangiovese gives the wine vinosity and a suggestion of floral and violet characters. The net effect is very appealing.' Bob Campbell