2005 Il Carnasciale IGT

The 2005 Il Carnasciale possesses gorgeous, exotic aromatics that meld into a finessed expression of wild herbs, cracked black pepper, red fruits, tobacco and flowers. This is a truly joyous wine imbued with tons of personality. It has less structure than its bigger sibling, but that will allow it to drink well relatively early. This is a very strong effort in this vintage. The entry-level Il Carnasciale is made from the barrels that are culled from the estate's top selection, Il Caberlot. In 2005, these were generally lots from the younger vineyards.

The 2005 Il Carnasciale possesses gorgeous, exotic aromatics that meld into a finessed expression of wild herbs, cracked black pepper, red fruits, tobacco and flowers. This is a truly joyous wine imbued with tons of personality. It has less structure than its bigger sibling, but that will allow it to drink well relatively early. This is a very strong effort in this vintage. The entry-level Il Carnasciale is made from the barrels that are culled from the estate’s top selection, Il Caberlot. In 2005, these were generally lots from the younger vineyards. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2017. Proprietor Bettina Rogosky and oenologist Peter Schilling continue to turn out stunning wines endowed with notable purity, class and elegance at Il Carnasciale. The property was once a part of the adjacent Petrolo estate and over the years this hillside terroir has produced some truly magical wines. The estate’s top wine, Il Caberlot, is bottled only in magnums and can be very hard to find. Fortunately in recent years the estate has introduced a second-wine, Il Carnasciale, which is bottled in standard 750ml bottles and offered at a more accessible price. Both wines are made from the unique Caberlot clone, which is believed to be a genetic mutation of Cabernet and Merlot. Readers who want to learn more about Il Carnasciale may want to check out my profile on the winery in the Italy Report section of www.erobertparker.com. Importer: The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484