Castello di Bolgheri Bolgheri Superiore 2017
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker - Decanter
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Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Made with 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc, this boasts aromas of blackskinned berry, vanilla and Mediterranean brush. The juicy balanced palate doles out ripe black currant, licorice, tobacco and white pepper alongside fine-grained tannins. Drink now–2025.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Wonderful depth and finesse for the vintage with a medium to full body and currant, tobacco and dried-earth character. It’s very polished with pretty, refined tannins and a long, long finish. Shows class and subtlety for the vintage. Drink after 2022, but already a joy to taste.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I had tasted this wine in a preview capacity one year ago. Now on the market, the Castello di Bolgheri 2017 Bolgheri Superiore hits the nail on the head. This estate is on a slow growth trajectory, showing results that deliver more satisfaction with each year that I taste them. The 2016 vintage stood out as a true beauty, and this 2017 vintage, with 30,000 bottles made, follows closely on its heels. This blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot is not too dense or heavy. It can't be faulted for being overripe or too astringent like some of its peers. Instead, the wine shows smooth fruit integration and solid background notes of blackberry, spice and cured tobacco, worthy of a sampler plate of wild boar charcuterie. Nice job. Some 30,000 bottles were made.
Rating: 94(+) -
Decanter
Castello di Bolgheri is one of the most representative estates in Bolgheri. The winery is within the walls of the village, the vineyards around 70 metres above sea level, 'sopra strada', in the heart of the appellation. The 2017, deep crimson in the glass, shows great intensity on the nose with ripe cassis, incense and an almost Port-like minerality. Velvety and broad, it's a bit hollow on the mid-palate and austere on the finish, but produces a ripe and chewy wine with a savoury, mineral finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
This savory, full-bodied blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Cabernet Franc features enticing aromas of woodland berry, underbrush and star anise. The concentrated, polished palate delivers black currant, licorice, tobacco and a touch of nutmeg alongside fine-grained tannins. Enjoy 2021–2029.
Other Vintages
2020-
Jeb
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Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
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Robert
Parker -
Jeb
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Enthusiast -
James
Suckling
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Robert
Parker -
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Spectator -
James
Suckling
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Spectator -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
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Robert
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James
Suckling -
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Enthusiast
The origins of Bolgheri Castle date back to 1200. Since then, it has been the property of the Counts of Gherardesca family. In the second half of the 1700s, restoration work and improvements were made to the building, and the cellars were built. In 1895, the castle’s facade was modified, with the construction of the tower and merlons as we still see them today.
Bolgheri Castle and its surrounding lands were transferred by hereditary succession to the current family of the Counts Zileri Dal Verme.
The farm extends around the Castle for an area of 130 hectares, 50 of which are covered by vineyards; the rest is made up of areas cultivated with 6,000 olive plants, sown grounds and woods. Both sides of the farm are adjacent to the famous cypress road extolled in the poetry of Giosuè Carducci.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
An outstanding wine region made famous by Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta, who planted Cabernet Sauvignon vines for his own consumption in 1940s on his San Guido estate, and called the resulting wine, Sassicaia. Today the region’s Tuscan reds are based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, which can be made as single varietal wines or blends. The local Sangiovese can make up no more than 50% of the blends. Today Sassicaia has its own DOC designation within the Bogheri DOC appellation.