Lupicaia 2015 75cl

In the 2015 Lupicaia, the percentage of Petit Verdot used in the blend was reduced slightly in favor of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. This vintage is beautiful, generous and full. Aged for 18 to 24 months in new French oak, there are some lovely balsamic notes in here but not too much wood. The wine flows forth with abundant dark fruit, black cherry and spice. This is a great effort from Castello del Terriccio.<br/>Proprietor Dr. Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana owns 1,600 hectares in Terriccio, of which 56 hectares are planted to vines. The vineyard was planted in 1989 and 1990 and the estate's first vintage was 1992. The estate is headquartered in Castellina Marittima in Pisa province, with part of the large estate extending into Livorno province as well. If this property wanted to make appellation wines, they would qualify for both Montescudaio and Bibbona. Because of its enormous size, the estate enjoys its own microclimate, with winds that blow past the islands of Capraia and Corsica, forming a tunnel between the two. Consulting Enologist Carlo Ferrini has worked with this estate from the beginning. The portfolio of wines has remained largely unchanged, with the top-shelf Lupicaia and Castello del Terriccio representing single-vineyard expressions and the second-tier Tassinaia consisting of a selection of fruit from across the estate. I sat down with Dr. Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana and his family at his beautiful house in the center of Rome to taste through this extensive retrospective.<br/>