Grape blend: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Aged: 24 months in Barriques and 12 months in the bottle
Alcohol content: 15% vol
Acidity: 4.9 g/l
Residual sugars: 0.6 g/l
The grapes for this magnificent red come from a small vineyard, cultivated in the dark, schistose soil at Casalduro farmstead. 2019 was one of the best years in recent memory; this is reflected in the wine’s complexity and ability to endure long periods of ageing, something that also reveals the excellent balance between tannins, acidity and colour. The two grape varieties were vinified and then aged, separately, for 24 months in a mixture of new barriques and others that had already been used once. Afterwards they were combined and remained for another 2-3 months, together, in glass-lined concrete tanks to blend perfectly. Once in the bottle, the Casal Duro “rested” in the cellar for at least 12 months.
Tasting – Colour: deep, dark ruby red, with a garnet rim that gradually becomes more evident with ageing; the wine descends the side of the glass slowly, creating lots of legs. The nose: it opens in a mix of spices, black pepper and aniseed, bell pepper, together with the sweet, light fruitiness of blackberries, blueberries and black cherry; the boisé is never predominant. In the mouth: the tannins are velvety and majestic, the wine invades the palate with its structure and fleshiness; the wood is perceptible but pleasant and not dominant.
Wine and Food Pairing – Perfect at the table with important, traditional Tuscan dishes such as pappardelle with wild boar sauce, lasagne, pecorino cheese fondue, roast goose, Valdarno-style “peposo” (a special, flavoursome stew), beef tagliata with porcini mushrooms, jugged hare, stewed and grilled game.