Ilatraia 2015 75cl

Another top wine from the Maremma with fantastic dark fruit and polished tannins. Such balance of ripeness but also finesse. Great potential here.

The 2015 Ilatraia is a drop-dead gorgeous blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Petit Verdot and 20% Cabernet Franc with all fruit coming from Brancaia's Maremma vineyards along the Tuscan coast. This warm vintage has shaped an exuberant and intense red wine that hits the palate with lavish richness. The complex bouquet is composed of dark fruit elements that are contrasted seamlessly against spice, sweet tobacco and campfire ash. Yet the mouthfeel is never too heavy or overextracted. There's a lot to enjoy here. Some 45,000 bottles were made.<br/>Barbara Widmer and her team have completed the long conversion process (on their vineyards in Radda in Chianti and Maremma) to organic farming. They started this process informally a few years back, but they will receive their certificate at the end of this year.<br/>

A beast, featuring plum, black currant, leather and earth flavors locked in a tight grip of tannins. A bit closed now, yet remains balanced and long on the iron-tinged finish. Best from 2022 through 2035.—B.S