2021 Rosso di Montalcino, La Magia, Tuscany, Italy
Critics reviews
The 2021 Rosso di Montalcino opens slowly with an earthy blend of crushed rocks, dried blueberries and chalk dust. It's silky and supple yet full of energy, with ripe wild berry fruits and orange hints, all propelled by juicy acidity. It finishes long, staining and more structured than expected, leaving a tart raspberry tinge to fade slowly.
Drink 2024 - 2029
Eric Guido, Vinous.com (December 2023)
Full bottle 1,226 g. From the estate's younger vines, many of them unstaked. It was aged for nine months in used tonneaux and terracotta. Good vintage! Certified organic.
Mid crimson. Warm, ripe nose but with the dusty, tangy finish of Sangiovese. It's much lighter than a Brunello would be and none the worse for it. Very much an appetising Tuscan. Quite long.
Drink 2023 - 2027
Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com (March 2024)
Aromas of ripe blueberries and mulberries with violets, sweet spices and tea leaf undertones. Medium-bodied, dry and a little chewy with crunchy acidity and fresh red and blue fruit character. Vivid finish. From organically grown grapes.
Drink now
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (September 2023)
Ripe and opulent with red and blue fruit, the 2021 Rosso Di Montalcino is rich with crushed purple flowers, blackberry, black cherry compote, and delicate smoke. It leans toward the full-bodied spectrum, with fleshy ripe black cherry and blue fruits and velvety ripe tannins. It is lush and expressive and will deserve some time to shed its baby fat.
Drink 2024 - 2032
Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com (June 2023)
About this WINE
La Màgia
The Schwarz family have owned La Màgia since the mid-1970s. Originally from Alto Adige, they were among the first Brunello producers to estate-bottle their wines. This organic estate is farmed by second-generation Fabian; born in Montalcino, he succeeded his father in 2005. He has since redefined the estate’s direction, continuing to realise the potential of this hallowed site.
The farm sits high above the Abbey of Sant’Animo – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and faces south-east towards Mount Amiata. The exposure to the cold mountain winds, morning sun exposition and altitude of 400-450 metres provide a cooler microclimate, adding to the freshness, tension and energy in the wines – even in a warm vintage like ’17.
Rosso di Montalcino
Rosso di Montalcino is a large Tuscan DOC, to the far south of the Chianti Classico region, which has been classified since 1983.
The wines are fruity, soft, light and forward-maturing. They come from Sangiovesse vines outside the finer Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, harvested at up to 62 hl/ha, or from declassified Brunello fruit (often from young vines) in which case the yield must be the same as Brunello wines, at 55 hl/ha.
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. In the 1960s the advent of Super Tuscans saw bottlings of 100% Sangiovese wines, as well as the introduction of Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon blends, the most famous being Tignanello.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
Buying options
Add to wishlist
Description
This comes from the estate’s younger vines, many planted in albarelli “bush” style. Cool fermentation and short maceration aid aromatics and drinkability. Nine months in old tonneau and terracotta amphorae retain fruit purity without sweet oak influence and give a pleasing suppleness to the tannins. This is a bright expression of Rosso, but not without complexity. Floral high notes, spice, wild mint, fresh currents, dried cranberry and cherry flesh tannins are framed by a tangy freshness and earthy Tuscan charm.
Drink 2023 - 2030
Berry Bros. & Rudd
wine at a glance
Delivery and quality guarantee