2018 Cassiano

Full bottle 1,356 g. Certified biodynamic by respekt-BIODYN and the wine is certified organic. 42% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, 9% Tempranillo, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 4% Syrah. Fruit from Seehof and Panholzerhof, with a view of the sea, south-east-facing at 250–280 m. Sandy clay with limestone. A difficult year in which their best parcels were hailed and required a lot of hand selection, but good weather in the autumn. Harvested early October to early November. 28 hl/ha. Varieties fermented separately and spontaneously in big oak casks. Aged 18 months in barriques, 50% new. Assembled shortly before bottling in May 2020. TA 5.8 g/l, RS 1.3 g/l. Deep cherry red. Complex aroma of ripe black fruit – lots of cassis in particular – spice, pepper and dark chocolate and a light herbal note, perhaps this is the Cab Franc as there is certainly no underripeness here. A hint of smoked meat too, perhaps that’s the new oak. On the palate, elegant tannins and wonderful freshness for a 14% wine. This is clearly still very young (the label has a little diagram of a carafe, suggesting it needs air), but the harmony is excellent and the oak well integrated. Firm, tannins and a peppery intensity infusing the deep dark fruit. Needs time and should age well. Pure, long, chewy and much more complexity to come. (JH)