Grape blend: 100% Sangiovese Grosso
Aged: 24 months, part in Tonneaux, part in oak casks
Alcohol content: 15%
Acidity: 5.17 g/l
Residual sugars: 1.04 g/l
2019 was one of the best years in memory for wine here in the Maremma, despite the hot weather. The beautiful grapes that were picked macerated on their skins at a constant temperature of 25 °C, and the duration of the “pumping over” (= must from the bottom of the tank is pumped to the top to soak the cap of skins) – not the frequency – was halved. After 21 days, the wine was racked to separate it from the skins. It was then transferred into the casks and tonneaux barrels before Christmas and the gross lees were removed. As in recent years, ageing was carried out partly in Slavonian oak casks and partly in tonneaux that had already been used once, and it lasted for roughly 24 months. Afterwards, the wine was bottled with the use of wide-mesh filters and then left to age for another year in the bottle.
Tasting – Colour: purplish red with nuances tending towards garnet with ageing. The nose: spicy, sweet, with intense notes of tobacco leaf and red fruits (blackberries and ripe black cherries). A hint of vanilla and a slight contribution from the wood can just be perceived. In the mouth: both round and austere at the same time. Typical Sangiovese tannins, mellowed by the good ripeness and with very long persistence.
From the 2019 vintage l’Abbandonato Riserva changes appellation and becomes Maremma Toscana D.O.C. Nothing else has changed – same vineyard, same methods of winemaking and ageing.
Wine and Food Pairing – An elegant, important wine that goes very well with classic Tuscan dishes, such as a Fiorentina T-bone steak or traditional “crostini neri” (with chicken liver sauce), as well as roast pork with prunes and mushrooms, or a porcini mushroom or Tuscan sausage risotto.