Super Tuscan, Bolgheri Reds Shine in Summer 2016
Tasting more than 1,500 Italian wines this year, with another 1,500 to go for the rest of the summer, is a fascinating experience and gives you a broad view of wines currently or soon-to-be-released on the market. In this report, I focus on the 400 or so Super Tuscan and Bolgheri reds I tasted this summer, and the tasting shows the diversity of vintages being released on the market, from the ripe and wonderful 2012 to the cold, wet and challenging 2014.
What’s obvious is the top producers of Tuscany have their viticulture and winemaking finely tuned at the moment, which enables them to cope with all kinds of weather during the grape growing season, from extreme heat spikes to cool rain. Winemaking is precise and focused as it should be.
The good news is that most of the wines in the Super Tuscan and Bolgheri categories are from the excellent 2012 and 2013 vintages. The 2014 is significantly worse than most vintages of recent years due to the wet and cold growing season, but I was surprised how outstanding some of the top wines were in the vintage, albeit they were in a much more delicate and reserved style.
“We managed to produce something outstanding through severe selections of the best grapes,” says Stefano Frascolla of Tua Rita, who released his pure-merlot 2014 Tua Rita Redigraffi. I rated it 95 points.
When I think back to a past vintage comparable to 2014, the light 2002 comes to mind. But I have a hunch that 2014 will be better overall than the 2002 after tasting barrel samples in such places as Ornellaia and San Guido (Sassicaia) as well as a number of top wines already in bottle. But don’t expect the richness, depth of fruit and structure you expect in a top vintage from Tuscany to come through in 2014.
“The wines are better than I expected,” admitted Luca Sanjust of Petrolo, whose reds in 2014 include Galatrona and Boggina. “They have a sweetness of fruit despite the difficulty of the harvest.”
The 2013 vintage, on the other hand, produced many superb wines and the coolness of the vintage gave the wines tension and a linear focus that I appreciate in great Tuscan wines. The cabernet sauvignon-based wines have a beautiful tannin quality and aromatic style. The merlots are dense and juicy yet floral and bright at the same time. The syrahs are vibrant and tangy while sangioveses are focused and typical. It’s a nice follow up to the hot and luscious 2012s and 2011s.
“The 2013 vintage is an excellent one that shows the true nature of places and grape types,” admits Carlo Ferrini, one of the top consulting enologists of Tuscany. “It was much cooler than 2011 and 2012 so you have a different tannin structure and acidity to the wines.”
In fact, only two wines of my Top 20 Super Tuscan and Bolgheri wines are not from the 2013 vintage. Indeed, I really appreciate the cool style of the 2013s I tasted as they have a raciness and firmness that give them a modern classicism. They remind me of the 1999s or even 2009s but it’s hard to generalize.
I don’t think you will find any surprises in the list below. The top wines have a pedigree of quality for the region. What’s exciting is all the diversity and selection to choose from when buying the newest releases of Super Tuscan wines, from exotic blends like the Bibi Graetz Colore to the pure cabernet franc (biodynamic) from Duemani.
“We know more and more of what and how to make the best wines possible,” pointed out Luca d’Attoma, the owner and producer of Duemani. “Each vintage we know a little more and we make better wines.”
Photos from top to bottom: 2014 Tua Rita Redigaffi proves top wines can be made in such a difficult year; Elisabetta Geppetti of Le Pupille and Luca d’Attoma, her consulting enologist and owner of wine estate Duemani; concrete vats at Cavalli Tenuta Degli Dei in Panzano, winery of fashion magnate Tomasso Cavalli; bottles of perfect 100-points 2012 Saffredi and new release 2013 Saffredi; tasting in Ornellaia winery a few days ago with winemaker Axel Heinz; and 2013 Ornellaia and Masseto
-James Suckling, CEO
