Vitanza Volare Sangiovese di Toscana 2013
| Country: | Italy |
| Region: | Tuscany |
| Grape Type: | Sangiovese |
| Winery: | Tenuta Vitanza |
Vitanza Brunello di Montalcino Firma is made from 100% Sangiovese.
"Firma" means "signature" in Italian.
Aged for 36 months in 30% French and 70% Slavonia barrels. Aged in the bottle for 6 months.
This wine is the King of all Italian reds. It is full-flavored, woodsy, and intense with a long finish. Brunello will correspondingly age for 15-20 years.
Aromas recall scorched earth, underbrush, stewed prune and coconut. Oak spices, vanilla and coffee dominate the warm palate. It lacks fruit richness and can’t stand up to the assertive tannins or the heat of evident alcohol.
Review:
"The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva is the nicest wine presented by Tenuta Vitanza this year. This expression definitely shows its oaky side but that new oak style (French tonneaux primarily) is characteristic of this estate located in the Torrenieri subzone that makes some of the darkest and most extracted expressions of Brunello regardless. Dark fruit, prune, plum, cherry, spice, cedar, cardamon and grilled herb all compete for your attention. The ensemble is bold, opulent and rich in a way that most other Brunello wines are not. There is a note of sourness on the tannins. Every once in a while you need a supersized Brunello to pair with that T-bone steak you crave. — Monica Larner"
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Issue 217, February 2015), 90 pts
Vitanza Quadrimendo is made from 50% Sangiovese Grosso, and 50% Merlot
This wine is flavorful and complex with a good backbone of acid and tannin.
Deep red ruby color. Intense aromas with characteristic peppery notes. Dry, tannic and powerful but with a smooth body.
Total aging time was 12 months in French oak, and 12 months bottle refinement.
"Plenty of spice, chili and berry character with hints of cedar and dried mushrooms. Full body, firm tannins and a fresh finish. A blend of sangiovese and merlot. Drink now or hold."
- Jamessuckling.com (August 2015), 92 pts
Vitanza Volare Sangiovese di Toscana 2013 is made from 80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Appellation: IGT Toscana.
Vineyard’s age: 14 Years.
Winemaking: Pre-soaking at a cold temperature for three days; pump-overs following the density and the temperature under computer control.
Aging: 4 Months in still tanks and 4 Months in Slavonia Oak.
Bottle refinement: 4 Months.
Production: 20,000 Bottles.
Time of Release: After 1 year from the harvest, in April.
Color: Red ruby.
Perfume: Bouquet intense and complete.
Taste: Full body, smooth and powerful with fresh fruit taste.
A bright, vibrant Toscana blend from Tenuta Vitanza that is primarily Sangiovese alongside Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has spent 4 months in Slovenian Oak, which adds a hint of texture and baking spice notes to its black cherry, currant and herbal flavors. The fruit-forward style makes it ideal for pairing with hard cheeses, charcuterie, olives as well as grilled vegetables and meats."
The Tenuta Vitanza Estate
The story of Tenuta Vitanza begins in 1994, when Rosalba Vitanza and her soon-to-be husband, Guido Andretta, spent a romantic weekend in Montalcino.
Rosalba has a PhD in Philosophy, and was teaching at the University of Rome, La Sapienza branch. Guido Anderetta was working as an aerospace engineer, running his own consulting business based in the United Kingdom and the U.S.A.
In 1994, they united their efforts behind the purchase of Podere Rensione, a country home with two acres of vineyards. Their first vintage was 1995 and the couple received 93 points from the Wine Spectator. Today, they own 80 acres of vines (not all in production year), and have a long-term goal of 15,000 cases of production. Since 2002, the couple has been building a modern, gravity flow winery, computer controlled, and wi-fi connected, in the town of Torrenieri. The winery has 13 large stainless steel tanks, each signifying a specific vineyard area. Also, the winery has been designed with total traceability, meaning that each bottle is numbered. In the future, you will be able to access their website, punch in the bottle’s number, and receive the following information:
· bottle type
· cork used
· kind of aging & how much time
· vineyard location & exact parcel
· weather that particular vintage
The Tenuta Vitanza Vineyard
25.8 hectares in production now or 63 acres, broken down as follows:
Size Grape Wine Type
14.4 acres Sangiovese Brunello di Montalcino
3.0 acres Sangiovese Chianti, Colli Senesi
4.0 acres Sangiovese Orcia, DOC
1.4 acres Sangiovese Sant Antimo, DOC
3.0 acres Merlot for Quadrimendo & Chianti
25.8 hectares = 63.73 acres
Tasting Notes: Deep, dark ruby color, aromas of blue fruits, confectionery and subtle licorice characters, thick luscious palate with good structure and soft finish.
The Blend is 44% Rubired, 31% Durif and 25% Shiraz.
Rubired is a cross between Tinto Cao and Alicante Ganzin (which is itself a cross between Alicante Bouschet and Aramon Rupestris Ganzin). It is known for being particularly adapted to the hot climate and producing dark wines, as the color is not only coming from the grape's skin, but also from the grape juice itself. It was developed in 1958 by H.P. Olmo of the University of California Davis.
Durif, also known as Petite Sirah, is also a cross of two different grape varietals: Syrah and Peloursin. It was created by French botanist François Durif in 1860 while keeping Syrah and Peloursin plants under the same roof; it happened from a natural process called "cross-pollination." The grape itself is known for its very aromatic, plummy character.
Shiraz, which we all know for being the most recognized grape varietal of Australia, brings some minty, spicy and fruity characteristics to the wines.
Grapes are crushed and destemmed then placed in rotary fermenters where three rotations per day break up the cap and extract color and tannin. Commercial yeast is added for fermentation. The juice is pressed to stainless steel for malolactic fermentation, undergoes oak maturation for 9 months, then is stored in stainless steel.
Pairs well with BBQ lamb with roast vegetables.
Deep ruby red color with violet highlights and a pleasant and fruity bouquet. Full bodied, soft tannins and good acidity.
Very bright, deep and clean violet color; blackberry and licorice aromas in the nose; long-lasting, powerful and smooth taste in mouth.
Alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel vats at controlled temperature and malolactic fermentation in concrete vats.
Enjoy it with cheese and red meat.
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What this vineyard captures, more so than any other Pinot Noir site that I have tasted, is both power and elegance. Bright and forceful Bing cherries and dark berries along with the slightest hue of roasted coffee bean on the nose. Immediate and broad textured tannins cover the palate as flavors of black raspberries, licorice and black tea leaves unravel. Oak-inspired overtones of crispy charred marshmellows and fall spice with balance acids elongate a finish that reverbs for hours.
What this vineyard captures, more so than any other Pinot Noir site that I have tasted, is both power and elegance. Bright and forceful Bing cherries and dark berries along with the slightest hue of roasted coffee bean on the nose. Immediate and broad textured tannins cover the palate as flavors of black raspberries, licorice and black tea leaves unravel. Oak-inspired overtones of crispy charred marshmellows and fall spice with balance acids elongate a finish that reverbs for hours.
The Soberanes Vineyard is the latest exciting joint venture between the Pisoni and Franscioni Families. The site features tightly spaced vines and is planted to 33 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah and sits on the Santa Lucia Highlands Bench adjacent to the Garys' Vineyard. The clonal material planted in the loamy, rocky soil is very diverse and features over a dozen of the most renowned heritage selections from California and Burgundy in pursuit of the finest wine quality.
Review:
The vineyard is famous for producing ripe, luscious Pinots stuffed with massive fruit. Many wineries have dipped into it over the years. Krutz’s rendition is dry, balanced and full-bodied, with relatively high alcohol framing raspberry, cherry, cola, red plum, exotic spice and sandalwood flavors. It should age well through 2020–2022.
- Wine Enthusiast 92 Points
Marcassin Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
The 2013 Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard may be even better. Notes of caramelized citrus, hazelnut, apple blossom, lemon oil and orange marmalade are all present in this wine of dazzling aromatic and flavor dimension. It is full-bodied, again shows some wet pebbles (which I equate with minerality), vibrant acidity, and no real evidence of any oak. Much like the 2012, the finish goes on for 45+ seconds. This is another killer Chardonnay from Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer. -Wine Advocate 100 Points
What an extraordinary tasting this was at the Marcassin winery just north of Santa Rosa in Sonoma County. Just when you think the duo of Helen Turley and John Wetlaufer can’t make greater wines, they bowl over the taster with an array of exquisite quality that really must be tasted to be believed. Marcassin was probably California’s greatest Chardonnay after the famous Chalone winery fell from the pinnacle and onto hard times in the 1980s (and it has yet to rebound). Moreover, Marcassin set the bar for great Pinot Noir as well. And while both their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have many competitors these days (from the likes of Harford Court, Mark Aubert, Kistler, Kongsgaard, DuMol, Thomas Brown, Peter Michael, Martinelli and Luc Morlet, to name a few), John Wetlaufer and Helen Turley remain the reigning geniuses of these two varietals in California. Certainly, their meticulous attention to detail in both the vineyard and in the winemaking and élevage account for the quality, but they were among the pioneers who saw the unlimited potential from the Sonoma Coast, now a relatively crowded neighborhood. This was a remarkable tasting that simply blew me away, and I have been following their wines since the first Marcassins were made in the early 1990s. By the way, any doubts about aging potential should be crushed immediately, as even in the most challenging vintages in California, Marcassin Chardonnays and Pinots have aged as well as, if not better than just about any grand cru white Burgundy. For example, 1995 and 1996 Chardonnays, particularly those from the Lorenzo Vineyard, are incredibly youthful and dynamic, and the Marcassin Estate Pinot Noir, even from vintages such as 1998, is simply amazing.
The three Chardonnays tasted include two perfect wines. Perhaps the closest comparison is not to anything made in California, but a Corton-Charlemagne in a top vintage from the famous Jean François Coche-Dury.
