2004 Vigneto la Casuccia, Chianti Classico, Castello di Ama, Tuscany

2004 Vigneto la Casuccia, Chianti Classico, Castello di Ama, Tuscany

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2004 Vigneto la Casuccia, Chianti Classico, Castello di Ama, Tuscany

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Description

The 2004 Chianti Classico La Casuccia (80% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot) is a massive, powerful wine. It presents an open-knit, super-ripe nose followed by layers of ripe dark blueberries, violets, licorice and toasted oak flavors on a big, structured frame, with outstanding length and a lingering suggestion of sweetness on the finish. It is the more accessible of the estate’s top two selections in 2004.
Antonio Galloni - Wine Advocate - Jun 07

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Wine Advocate92/100
The 2004 Chianti Classico La Casuccia (80% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot) is a massive, powerful wine. It presents an open-knit, super-ripe nose followed by layers of ripe dark blueberries, violets, licorice and toasted oak flavors on a big, structured frame, with outstanding length and a lingering suggestion of sweetness on the finish. It is the more accessible of the estate’s top two selections in 2004.
Antonio Galloni - Wine Advocate - Jun 07 Read more

About this WINE

Castello di Ama

Castello di Ama

Castello di Ama is one of Tuscany's pre-eminent estates, responsible for wines of great finesse and filigree. Located close to Gaiole-in-Chianti at approx. 480 metres above sea level, the sixteenth century, 250 ha (90ha of vines) property is blessed with fine galestro and alberese stone soils and superior terroir.

It has been owned by Lorenza Sebasti Pallanti's family since 1972. Her husband Marco Pallanti joining in 1982, coinciding with a period of renewed investment, notably that of increasing plant density to 5000/hectare, the introduction of some French varietals such as Merlot, and in 1992, the switch from ageing in large slavonian botti to French barriques.

The core Castello di Ama range consists of a Chianti Classico, a blend of 80% Sangiovese 12% Canaiolo, 8% Malvasia Nera and Merlot from 30-44 year old vines, aged for 12 mths in 20% new French oak;

Chianti Classico Vigneto La Casuccia is a single-vineyard blend of 80% Sangiovese 20% Merlot from an average 35 year old vines aged in 50% new French oak;

Chianti Classico Vigneto Bellavista is a single-vineyard wine from clay-rich soils blending 80% Sangiovese 20% Malvasia Nera aged for 12 months in 50% new French oak and made only in exceptional years;

L'Apparita is a mercurial, 100% Merlot from average 35 year-old vines aged for 12 months in 50% new French oak.

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Sangiovese & Merlot

Sangiovese & Merlot

Sangiovese and Merlot blends are especially common in the wine region of Tuscany, where they represent a modern twist of the Chianti blend under the Toscana IGT. This blend is also finding its feet in Australia and Claifornia.

Sangiovese
A black grape widely grown in Central Italy and the main component of Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano as well as being the sole permitted grape for the famed Brunello di Montalcino.
It is a high yielding, late ripening grape that performs best on well-drained calcareous soils on south-facing hillsides. For years it was blighted by poor clonal selection and massive overcropping - however since the 1980s the quality of Sangiovese-based wines has rocketed upwards and they are now some of the most sought after in the world.

It produces wines with pronounced tannins and acidity, though not always with great depth of colour, and its character can vary from farmyard/leather nuances through to essence of red cherries and plums

Merlot
The most widely planted grape in Bordeaux and a grape that has been on a relentless expansion drive throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils and is relatively simple to cultivate. It is a vigorous naturally high yielding grape that requires savage pruning - over-cropped Merlot-based wines are dilute and bland. It is also vital to pick at optimum ripeness as Merlot can quickly lose its varietal characteristics if harvested overripe.

In St Emilion and Pomerol it withstands the moist clay rich soils far better than Cabernet grapes, and at it best produces opulently rich, plummy clarets with succulent fruitcake-like nuances. Le Pin, Pétrus and Clinet are examples of hedonistically rich Merlot wines at their very best. It also plays a key supporting role in filling out the middle palate of the Cabernet-dominated wines of the Médoc and Graves.

Merlot is now grown in virtually all wine growing countries and is particularly successful in California, Chile and Northern Italy.

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