2022 Vigna l'Apparita
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Tasting notes
It is impossible to overstate the historic significance of this wine. First made in 1985, it is the brainchild of agronomist and winemaker Marco Pallanti, who joined the estate in 1982 and immediately put it on a quality trajectory. L'Apparita is described as the first purebred Merlot produced in Tuscany, and the wine is revolutionary precisely because it represents an alternative in a land where Sangiovese is king. Fruit comes from a dedicated single parcel on calcareous soils that have many stones that serve to insulate the roots and lock in freshness. The Castello di Ama 2022 L'Apparita offers lush concentration and a seamless nature. It is bold and black with spice, dried blackberry and blackcurrant. You also get hints of fragrant lavender bud. The mouthfeel is rich and long-lasting. This is a beautiful Merlot that is generous, but markedly elegant nonetheless.
Critic scores
Average Score
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2022 L'Apparita is impressive, but it is also very, very young. Dark and virile, L'Apparita is going to need quite a few years to come into its own. Today, L'Apparita is all brawn and muscle. Black fruit, graphite, leather, spice, menthol, and sage start to emerge with a bit of time in the glass. Even so, the 2022 is an absolute infant. L'Apparita is often showy when it is young, but that does not apply to the 2022.
About the producer
Castello di Ama is one of the pre-eminent estates in Chianti Classico. Situated in the southern-most district of the appellation, the estate has only been making wine since the late 1970s but has since built a reputation as one of the region’s best.