Rocca di Frassinello Le Sughere di Frassinello Maremma Toscana DOC 2019 (750ml)

 

Rated 92 Points by James Suckling

 

Aromas of plums, black cherries, blackberries, tomato leaf, dried herb and spice box.  Medium-to full-bodied with firm, polished tannins.  Rich and fleshy on the palate with a lots of black fruit.  Flavorful finish.  Try from 2023.

 

Rated 91 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

The nose on this wine has the quiet elegance and confidence that usually takes more age to realize.  It gives aromas of leather, graphite, sandalwood and pepper before nutmeg, dried currants and other spices and dried fruits come through.  The palate is energized with an ironrich current of raw meat and bricks, lifted by a sizzle of acid and heat.

 

Rated 90 Points by Wine Spectator

 

There's depth to the concentrated black cherry and blackberry fruit, shaded by vanilla, earth and graphite notes.  Dense and muscular, with a long finish.  Sangioveto, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Best from 2023 through 2028.

 

Rocca di Frassinello Le Sughere

 

Maremma Toscana 2019

 

This wine takes its name from the cork trees (“sughero” in Italian) that surround the vineyard.  A wine of great character, the native Sangioveto and the international varietals Cabernet and Merlot are blended together to realize an ideal Italian-French wine.

 

Owner:  Paolo Panerai

 

Winemaker:  Alessandro Cellai

 

Type:  Red wine

 

Varietals:  50% Sangioveto, 25% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon

 

Tasting Notes

Color:  Deep ruby red

Bouquet:  Le Sughere di Frassinello bursts from the glass with an exciting melange of sweet red cherries, herbs, licorice and tobacco

Flavor:  It shows lovely mid-palate depth in a medium-bodied, sleek style supported by firm yet well-integrated tannins

Pairings:  Ideal with all roasts, grills, barbecues, and with sautéed fillets of beef. Great with cheeses as well

 

Alcohol Content:  14.5%

Serving Temperature:  60-62°F

 

Winemaking

 

Vinification:  Maceration on the skins with frequent delestages and pumpings over for 20-25 days.  Fermentation using natural yeasts in stainless steel for 15 days at a controlled temperature of 27°C.

 

Aging Process:  12 months in 225L French barriques; bottle refined for nine months.

Production:  100,000 bottles

 

 

Rocca di Frassinello Winery

 

     Producer Profile

 

Estate Owned by:  Paolo Panerai

 

Winemaker:  Alessandro Cellai

 

Total acreage of vine:  186 (75 Ha)

 

Winery Production:  350, 000 Bottles

 

Looking to expand beyond the heavily saturated Chianti Classico area, Castellare turned to the natural outlet of Maremma. 

 

What started as a small expansion plan took on a new dimension, as a unique joint venture between Castellare and Domaines Barons de Rothschild-Lafite, the first partnership of its kind. 

 

The project couples Castellare’s experience in the growing and vinification of Sangioveto with Lafite’s experience in classic French varietals.

 

Extensive research led to a site selection in the hills formed by the two sides of the old Aurelia in Monteregio di Massa Marittima.

 

The first vineyards were planted on 17 acres in 2000; however, today, this successful project oversees almost 200 acres of vineyards in an unrivalled microclimate for native varietals.

 

 

Rated 91 Points by Wine Enthusiast

 

The nose on this wine has the quiet elegance and confidence that usually takes more age to realize.  It gives aromas of leather, graphite, sandalwood and pepper before nutmeg, dried currants and other spices and dried fruits come through.  The palate is energized with an ironrich current of raw meat and bricks, lifted by a sizzle of acid and heat.

 

 

 

Rated 90 Points by Wine Spectator

 

There's depth to the concentrated black cherry and blackberry fruit, shaded by vanilla, earth and graphite notes.  Dense and muscular, with a long finish.  Sangioveto, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Best from 2023 through 2028.