2012 L'Alberello
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Tasting notes
Grattamacco's 2012 Bolgheri Superiore Alberello is finely-spun in the glass, with striking finesse and nuance. Sweet cherry, plum, smoke, licorice and spice notes open up effortlessly with air. The 2012 is ripe and juicy, but also quite classic in its mid-weight structure. The 2012 finishes with lovely density and tons of pure harmony. Ideally the 2012 needs a few years in bottle to shed some baby fat, but it is impressive today just the same.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2012 Bolgheri Superiore l'Alberello is an absolute beauty that shows the defining characteristics of this special estate located in one of the most beautiful parts of the appellation. This is a full force wine with elegant lines. In other words, it offers the best of both worlds in that it shows thickness and brawn, but it never goes over the top. The finish is smooth and seamless with dark fruit, pressed cherry, spice and leather.
"Full body, ultra-fine and silky tannins and a soft and fruity finish. Ripe and balanced with beautiful fruit and freshness. A wine with style and beauty. A tiny-production, single-vineyard red made from cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and petit verdot. Better in 2017." www.jamessuckling.com
The 2012 Bolgheri Rosso (60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot and 10% Sangiovese) does primary fermentation in truncated cone-shaped oak and steel vats and malolactic fermentation in barrique. It is then aged in oak for ten months. The wine presents dark color and concentration with apparent doses of ripe fruit, dried strawberry and cherry. The mouthfeel is yielding and soft with a plush, chewy feel. It’s an easy-drinking, fruit-based proposition with moderate textural richness and finesse. I’d suggest a shorter drinking window. Oct 2014, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Grattamacco’s story begins when Piermario Meletti Cavallari purchased an abandoned vineyard in 1977 and grafted over many of the vines. He produced one of the earliest Super Tuscans in 1982 – a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese and a wine which continues to earn acclaim today.