Podere Grattamacco L'Alberello Bolgheri Superiore 2019
- Decanter
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Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Goes well with game, e.g. local preparations of wild boar, roast, braised and stewed red meats, and medium aged cheese.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Grattamacco is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 15% Sangiovese, which certainly contributes to the fresher style of this wine. The whole picture is complete only when understanding that the vineyards used for this blend are among the highest of the appellation. According to winemaker Luca Marrone, in 2019 the ripening of the grapes was slow and the harvests took place on 4 October. Grattamacco shines for its signature leafy, Mediterranean forest aromas, with assertive kiwi peel, restrained cassis, bell pepper and chocolate flavours. The attack is velvety, youthful and firm, less easy-going compared to Alberello but more tight-knit and extremely elegant - the Sangiovese grapes seem to emphasise the red freshness of the fruit. The length is amazing.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc, the 2019 Bolgheri Superiore l'Alberello is a special expression of place. The wine is born in a two-hectare plot that is entirely planted to long rows of alberello (bush-trained) vines at a low 30 meters above sea level with predominately clay soils. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel, and the wine ages in barrique for a standard 18 months. This vintage is very generous and broad in terms of aroma and texture, with finely polished tannins. There are in fact two phases to this wine: a creamy start and a silky end. It shows impressive length and polish. With very low yields of one kilo of fruit per plant, that means each vine makes one bottle of wine.
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James Suckling
The 2019 L'Alberello is savory, inviting, and rich with a perfume of graphite, blackberry, black cherry, and polished leather. The wine is structured and long, with fantastic purity, and is ripe with cherry and redcurrant, striking a wonderful balance between energetic freshness and richness.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 L'Alberello is savory, inviting, and rich with a perfume of graphite, blackberry, black cherry, and polished leather. The wine is structured and long, with fantastic purity, and is ripe with cherry and redcurrant, striking a wonderful balance between energetic freshness and richness. This incredible wine casts a very fashionable light on the Cabernet Franc component, which shines through in the blend.
Other Vintages
2020-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
Founded in 1977, and acquired by the Tipa Bertarelli Family in 2002, Grattamacco was one of first the two wineries in Bolgheri. A region typically known for Cabernet and Merlot, Grattamacco sets itself apart from surrounding wineries with its winemaking practices using 15% Sangiovese to impart quality and elegance in its wines. Grattamacco was not only the first winery in Bolgheri to use Sangiovese because of its high altitude despite its proximity to the coast, but also the first to plant Vermentino. Grattamacco wines are known for both their power, elegance and complexity that evolves with time.
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.