2021 Villa Donoratico

This is big wine from a lower denomination that offers good value when compared to the estate's top-shelf releases. The Argentiera 2021 Bolgheri Rosso Villa Donoratico is up front in terms of mouthfeel with lots of immediate intensity delivered to the mid-palate. The wine is articulate and generous with thick layers of black fruit, stewed plum, sweet earth and pressed blackberry. You get everything you want from a Bolgheri Rosso. In fact, you get a wine that tastes more like a Bolgheri Superiore. The blend is 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot. Production is 120,000 bottles.

The deep red/purple 2021 Villa Donoratico displays a flashy and sexy style, with lush aromas of vanilla bean, blackberry liqueur, crushed sage, lavender, and cocoa cascading from the glass. Supple, rounded and inviting, it offers fantastic balance and harmonious structure. It’s a head-turner of a wine from this spectacular vintage, with all the lush fruit you come to expect from this estate as well as an exquisite finish. Give this one some time in the cellar, and the rewards will be high as it moves into its more secondary and tertiary profile with notes of polished leather and Mediterranean herbs. Drink 2026-2040. It is no exaggeration to say this is truly one of the most beautiful and picturesque estates in the world, with panoramic views cascading to the ocean, and I highly recommend a visit. Situated in the southern corner of Bolgheri, the wines are built around the 83 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon they have planted exclusively within the DOC. The Ventaglio is a cru concept from a single vineyard located two kilometers from the ocean, planted in 2010 to Cabernet Franc, which they have been bottling since the 2015 vintage. The vines here are planted in a full circle at the top of the hill around a single olive tree (thus the name “Ventaglio” meaning “fan”) and are trained in to keep ventilation flowing through the vineyard.

The 2021 Bolgheri Rosso Villa Donoratico is a terrific entry-level offering. A burst of dark cherry/plum fruit, cedar, tobacco, spice, new leather, blood orange and menthol come together to make a strong opening statement. This bold, fruity blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot is a total delight.