2020 Bolgheri Superiore

Next up is the 2020 Grattamacco, which really takes things up a notch. A deep ruby red, it offers decadent and harmoniously layered aromas of pristine oak spice, fresh leather, mossy earth, tobacco, and kirsch. Full-bodied and refined, it has a velvety texture, plush tannins, even acidity, and a long finish. This demands to be cellared and will continue to improve if adequately stored over the next two decades and likely beyond. Drink 2026-2046. Grattamacco is helmed today by Luca Marrone, chief winemaker for ColleMassari Wine Estates. The estate was founded in 1977 by Piermario Meletti Cavallari (Giorgio Meletti Cavallari’s father). Luca is one of the more thoughtful and exciting winemakers, producing compelling wines with remarkable focus and transparency of place across each of the regions. Today, they have 32 hectares of vines, predominantly of Cabernet Sauvignon, along with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, and a small amount of Petit Verdot. They also have the oldest Vermentino vines in Bolgheri, and the white wines hold an important place in the range. Touring the winery, they have a collection of some of the first open-tank barrels that Sassicaia used in their first vintage in 1968, which Grattamacco continues to use, and they are an important part of informing their wines today.

A stellar wine, the 2020 Grattamacco is dark, vibrant and nuanced to the core. Black fruit, lavender, spice, leather, menthol and dried herbs infuse the 2020 with tons of character and complexity. Deep yet also wonderfully translucent, the 2020 is one of the most finessed Grattamaccos I can remember tasting. There's incredible depth and resonance here, not to mention tons of personality.