2021 Caiarossa "Caiarossa" Toscana (1.5L)

2021 was a demanding but ultimately rewarding vintage in much of Tuscany, with a warm March encouraging an early budbreak. The summer was hot and dry, with some welcome rain arriving in early September. Warm and sunny days returned for harvest. This is a wine with great potential but at this stage it is still quite closed. ‘We do very little racking to avoid oxygen during ageing,’ states general manager Jérôme Poisson. With time in the glass, fleshy black and blue fruit aromas and flavours emerge, along with hints of Mediterranean scrub. Velvety tannins keep a tight grip, while the fruit sapidity is underlined by a lovely vein of salinity and a ferrous twist. Long and poised, some savoury, earthy elements make themselves known on the finish. 30% Syrah, 20% Cabernet Franc, 16% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Sangiovese, 6% Petit Verdot, 2% Grenache, each vinified separately before blending and ageing for around 14 months in French oak barrels, 30% new.

The 2021 Caiarossa Toscana showcases perfect harmony between Bordeaux grape varieties and Tuscan soil characteristics at this Italian biodynamic winery. This flagship wine unites Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese and Granache grapes which grow in the mineral-rich Val di Cecina soils of Riparbella's coastal hills. Since the early 2000s this amazing winery has operated under biodynamic principles. The Casteja family who also owns Château Batailley has transformed the estate into a leading Super Tuscan reference point in Tuscany. The 2021 vintage presents itself as a refined wine with dark cherry, blackberry and black plum flavors accompanied by licorice and incense and graphite and fresh herbs. The wine presents itself as both plush and structured with fine-grained tannins that lead to a deep core of fruit before finishing with cedar and crushed stone and dried flowers. A must-have for fans of Ornellaia, Sassicaia, or Masseto who seek authenticity over flash.