2011 Guado al Tasso Matarocchio

Light, deep ruby-red. Knockout nose offers red cherry, grilled herbs, smoke, aromatic herbs and minerals. Juicy and vibrant, displaying outstanding inner-mouth perfume and energy to the red and dark fruit flavors. Finishes smooth and long, with sneaky concentration and complexity. This wine spent 18 months in 100% new oak but you really can't tell. Yet another pure cabernet franc now being made on the Tuscan Coast; only a few years ago you could find Paleo by Le Macchiole and little else. I should note that I like the 2011 Matarocchio better than the 2011 Guado al Tasso, which, though also outstanding, is similar to many other warm-weather Bordeaux blends made around the world; by contrast, cabernet franc from the Tuscan Coast is a truly unique wine.

Textbook spring and a hot summer meant small yields. September saw milder weather which allowed the Cabernet Franc to complete the final ripening phase. The grapes were sorted by hand before destemming and pressing. After fermentation in stainless steel and a 30-day maceration period, the wine then went into 60-gallon oak barrels to complete malolactic fermentation. The ageing continued for 18 months in barrel before bottling. Polished lustrous dark crimson. Hint of pencil shavings on top of the very ripe, well-integrated fruit. Complete. Fully ripe but not sweet. A fresh balsam streak, racy but not skinny. Long. The opulent but still-savoury fruit covers the tannins. This complex wine is at a lovely stage now, though it definitely needs food.

Renzo Cotarella’s favourite. Still very concentrated purple with lots of mineral notes. Very charming and fresh with extreme vitality. Great stuff! Wonderful completeness and energy. Fully ripe. Great combination of freshness and intensity. (JR)