2010 La Ricolma
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Tasting notes
One of the real showstoppers in this tasting, the 2010 La Ricolma is a wine of pure and total class. When it was younger, the 2010 was a powerhouse, but today it is much more perfumed and refined, with a real sense of grace that runs through it. Dried flowers, mint, sweet red cherry, blood orange and lavender are all beautifully lifted in a translucent, deep Merlot with Sangiovese-like inflections that deliver the goods. This is a superb showing. "From the stand point of weather, 2010 is very similar to 2013." Luca Martini di Cigala explained. In tasting, though, the 2010 is quite a bit more refined. The fruit was brought in on September 24, before the heavy rains that fell in early October that year, during harvest. This is a phenomenal showing from the 2010.
Critic scores
Average Score
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2010 La Ricolma is off the charts. A Merlot with distinctly savory Tuscan overtones, the 2010 literally jumps from the glass with layers of expressive jammy black cherries, sage, menthol and cloves. Ripe yet also structured, the 2010 is endowed with formidable tannins that will require time to soften, which they have already begun to do over the last few months. Over the last few years, San Giusto has made an effort to slow down maturation as much as possible by starting work in the vineyards late in the season and generally encouraging slow, late ripening, which is a challenge with Merlot, a precocious grape. To be sure, that is an approach that also entails considerable risk to the crop, as the likelihood of inclement weather increases as the growing season progresses. As always, the Ricolma is the most overt, fruit-driven of the San Giusto wines, but in 2010 finesse, elegance and silkiness rules the day. Wow!
One of Italy’s great Merlots, the 2010 La Ricolma pours into the glass with inky black concentration and elegant aromas that spread far beyond the confines of your stemware. The wine radiates black fruit and spice and resonates with minute background tones of dried prune, clove, tar, licorice and pencil shaving. The tannins are young and astringent at this tasting but La Ricolma promises a slow evolution ahead. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2035. Run by the Martini di Cigala siblings (Elisabetta, Luca and Francesco), Fattoria San Giusto a Rentennano is a flagship winery in the Gaiole in Chianti subzone of the denomination. The wines presented are truly spectacular: They are among the best I have tasted this year. Importer: Marc de Grazia Selections; www.marcdegrazia.com
One of Italy’s great Merlots, the 2010 La Ricolma pours into the glass with inky black concentration and elegant aromas that spread far beyond the confines of your stemware. The wine radiates black fruit and spice and resonates with minute background tones of dried prune, clove, tar, licorice and pencil shaving. The tannins are young and astringent at this tasting but La Ricolma promises a slow evolution ahead. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2035. ||Run by the Martini di Cigala siblings (Elisabetta, Luca and Francesco), Fattoria San Giusto a Rentennano is a flagship winery in the Gaiole in Chianti subzone of the denomination. The wines presented are truly spectacular: They are among the best I have tasted this year. Wine Advocate.August, 2013
About the producer
San Giusto a Rentennano is one of the leading producers in the Chianti Classico region. Its 100% Merlot Super Tuscan La Ricolma and 100% Sangiovese cuvée, Percarlo, are two of the most consistent and collected fine wines in Tuscany.