Poggio al Tufo Alicante 2020

The Poggio al Tufo - Alicante cuvée comes from the Tuscan Maremma, in southern Tuscany. The grapes are selected from the Bottinello vineyard, on the Tenuta Rompicollo in Pitigliano, an ancient Etruscan town perched on volcanic tuff, as well as from the Tenuta Albore in Scansano. Alicante, an old grape variety that came from Spain and was established in the region during Spanish rule, finds a hot, sunny climate here, tempered by breezes from the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Red winemaking follows a traditional method: fermentation starts spontaneously with native yeasts, in steel tanks, with twelve days of skin maceration to extract colour, structure and aromas. The wine is then aged for fifteen months in large Slavonian oak vats (foudres), which refine the tannins and add complexity without masking the fruity, Mediterranean character of the grape variety.

This wine reveals notes of blackberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, red fruit jam, leather, myrtle, rosemary and black pepper. The complex, fragrant bouquet combines ripe woodland fruit and maquis herbs. The warm, structured palate is harmonious and enveloping, before an intense, persistent finish.

Ah, Italy, what a beautiful, hedonistic country, the land of la dolce vita, but how difficult it is to understand its wine industry! The key to understanding the appellation system in Italy is to think of it as several small countries rather than a single homogeneous nation, as each region has its own appellation system. Italy can offer wine lovers a multitude of wines with varied and unique flavors and styles, bottles brimming with surprise and creativity. Unfortunately, it also produces a large quantity of soulless, characterless wines sold under their most commercially useful and prestigious name: Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Valpolicella, Lambrusco, Prosecco, and many others... But let's talk a little history. Viticulture in Italy dates back to antiquity and originated in Greece. The Etruscans are said to have introduced the vine, and Greek immigrants improved and modified the grape varieties, subsequently calling the country "Oenotria": the land of wine. At the height of the Roman Empire, wine held an important place in daily life, and certain regions already distinguished themselves by the excellence of their product. The Romans also established numerous vineyards in Europe, leaving an indelible mark of their conquest. Today, Italy is the world's largest wine producer, ahead of France. Italy is divided into three climatic zones. The northern mountains have a rather harsh mountain climate. The plains of the "central boot" are characterized by a continental climate with cold winters and hot, stormy summers. In the southern part of the Italian boot, the Mediterranean climate prevails, with very hot and dry summers, not forgetting the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. In short, Italy produces a wide variety of wines thanks to its 200 different grape varieties, many of which originated in its own lands. It is a country as complex as its wines, which deserve to be explored!