Grape blend: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Aged: 18 months in barriques and 8 years in the bottle
Alcohol content: 14% vol
Acidity: 5.79 g/l
Residual sugars: 0.52 g/l
The hot summer of 2013 gave the grapes from Casalduro farmstead considerable concentrations of anthocyanins and polyphenols. The grape musts from the three varieties macerated at length on the skins to extract the polyphenols to the fullest. The three base wines aged, as always, in barriques – already used once for the Sangiovese and new for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot – for 18 months. They were then combined and the Casal Duro spent another 2 or 3 months ageing in concrete vats to favour the blend. It was, however, the extremely long period of ageing in the bottle that gave this wine its exceptional softness and silkiness, and enabled all its aromas to “blossom” to the full. In fact, once bottle, after the usual 12 months, it spent another seven years in the cellar!
Tasting – Colour: carmine red rimmed with nuances of garnet. If you rotate the glass, the “legs” around the side reflect all the chromatic complexity of important red wines. The nose: the first impression is full and intense, with fruity notes of black cherry jam and floral notes of dried violet, followed by sweet spices, such as vanilla and tobacco, enhanced by an exotic touch of sandalwood. The finish is balsamic with hints of juniper. In the mouth: dense, harmonious and warm, the noble tannins give the taste a silky, fruity vigour and allow the sapid, slightly mineral character to emerge in the finish. The aromas of rhubarb and blood orange are gratifying on the palate.
Wine and Food Pairing – Rarities from the cellar should be tasted and enjoyed on their own or accompanied by a chat among friends. But we cannot deny such a wine the possibility to be paired with dishes that enhance it: tagliatelle with walnut pesto and black truffle, Tuscan “gran pezzo” (roast rib of beef) with juniper and glazed leeks, duck breast with cherry sauce, or simply very mature cheeses.