2006 Vigna D'Alceo
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Tasting notes
This is the standout wine of this vertical tasting. The Castello dei Rampolla 2006 d'Alceo remains incredibly vibrant in terms of mouthfeel, with a pretty vein of acidity that cuts across the mid-palate. The tannins are chalky, and that freshness is simply gorgeous. On the bouquet, you get earthy notes, dark fruit and wild plum. I came back to the wine later in my tasting, and although it maintained its distinctive freshness, spicy notes of barbecue smoke began to appear. In terms of farming, this estate is focused on soil health and uses cover crops (sometimes rolled between the rows) to add organic matter and create a moisture barrier. They have been following these vineyard practices for the past four years and are very happy with the results.
Critic scores
Average Score
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2006 d'Alceo is huge. Still tannic, powerful and brooding, the 2006 is clearly a wine for the future. The 2006 boasts striking depth, gorgeous inner perfume and dazzling balance. With time in the glass, the 2006 starts to flesh out a bit, but it remains intense and muscular to the core. Sweet floral notes, plums, cloves and mint are layered into the finish. This is another epic d'Alceo from Rampolla that captures the purest essence of one of the great all-time Tuscan vintages.
The 2006 d'Alceo is huge. Still tannic, powerful and brooding, the 2006 is clearly a wine for the future. The 2006 boasts striking depth, gorgeous inner perfume and dazzling balance. With time in the glass, the 2006 starts to flesh out a bit, but it remains intense and muscular to the core. Sweet floral notes, plums, cloves and mint are layered into the finish. This is another epic d'Alceo from Rampolla that captures the purest essence of one of the great all-time Tuscan vintages.
The 2006 d'Alceo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, is a much tighter-wound wine than the Sammarco but it also seems to be holding back a lot more sheer density in reserve. Full-bodied, rich and monstrously tannic at this stage, it doesn't taste too different than it did when I first sampled it from tank in November 2006! The wine possesses dazzling inner perfume, refined tannins that need time to emerge and exceptional overall balance. It is a fabulous effort from Rampolla.