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  • Country ranking ?

    137
  • Producer ranking ?

    3
  • Decanting time

    4h
  • When to drink

    2020-2035

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The Story

L’Apparita was Tuscany’s first pure 100% Merlot wine made in Italy with its debut vintage of 1985.

Castello di Ama and L'Apparita made a breakthrough on 8 February when L’Apparita 1987 was awarded as the best Merlot wine in a blind tasting hosted by the Academie du Vin in Switzerland— with a jury led by no less than world-renowned wine consultant, Michel Rolland. It left behind 15 other Merlot wines including the legendary Pétrus and its 1988 vintage.

The small parcels that make up the 3.84 hectares of the L’Apparita vineyard are set atop the Vigneto Bellavista hill, at an altitude of 490 metres. In 1975 they were planted with Canaiolo and Malvasia Bianca, then grafted over with Merlot clone 342 between 1982 and 1985.

Blend: 100% Merlot (Clone 342)

First planted: 1982-1985

Viticulture: Open lyre training in 490 metres with 2,800 vines/acre in clay rich soil.

Average age of vines: 32 years

Soil: calcareous with clay

Vinification: Fermented with indigenous yeasts only

Ageing: aged in thin-grained French oak barriques 35% new, 65% once used for 18 months.

First vintage: 1985

Winemaker's Notes: Purple red color with violet nuances. Impenetrable. Aroma: red fruits, blackberry. Spices such as vanilla, black pepper in grains and juniper. The finish has a balsamic note. The taste is extremely elegant, smooth and enveloping, with a silky yet powerful tannin. Clearly fresh, very persistent, never ending.

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

<10 tasting notes

Tasting note

ending

Long and Gentle

nose

Refined and Tempting

recommend

Yes

taste

Low tannin, Perfectly balanced, Full-bodied and Elegant

Verdict

Full-bodied and Excellent

Written Notes

Compared to 2010, the 2011 L'Apparita (100% Merlot) is a very different wine. It's impossible to imagine how Castello di Ama could improve on the utterly divine and delicious 2010, but I liked 2011 even more. Again, I just feel that this estate with its vineyards that reach beyond 500 meters in altitude performs best with warm vintages such as this one. Those who love Castello di Ama's wines will have to wait until the 2013 vintage is released. This is a gorgeous wine that sings in a loud and graceful voice. That extra cherry softness of Merlot has been pulled back to a perfect point. The wine offers layers of richness and suppleness. The effects are layered, complex and absolutely engaging. This is a standout wine.

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Information

Origin

Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany
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