Grattamacco, Bolgheri Superiore, 2016

Suave dark and red forest berry fruit. Some sapid, resinous notes of pine and cedar make the juicy fruit all the more mouth-watering. Bright cherry notes together with rich but measured cassis flavours dance nimbly across the palate, whilst the fine-grained Cabernet tannins give the wine grip and focus. A glorious, enticing marriage of modern and classical. A compelling Tuscan blend to tuck away for 5-10 years. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 15% Sangiovese the special grey clay, marl and limestone soils here help give their Sangiovese a certain depth. From vineyards on steep slopes in the hills 100 metres above sea level and made in a gently-extracted way this is a complex Bolgheri designed for unadulterated drinking pleasure rather than for the trophy cabinet. The wine was aged for 21 months in barriques (40% new,) as opposed to the usual 18 months, with a further 12 months’ refinement in bottle.