This wine is of very limited quantity. As such, the Digital Somm did not get a taste, but you can! Unfortunately, while that means there is limited detailed information and no Digital Somm recommendations associated with rating the wine, you do still receive loyalty points, so cheer up!
Cabernet Sauvignon origins are from the Gironde in southwest France, but is now planted across the world in climates that accommodate this late ripening grape. It is the dominant grape in wines made in Bordeaux’s Médoc and Graves regions. This small, thick-skinned grape, produces darkly colored wine, high in tannin and relatively high in acidity with hallmark aromas of blackcurrant and can stylistically change from austere in its youth to lush depending on the region, and winemaking style.
Sangiovese
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Sangiovese is grown throughout Central Italy, but is most famous for Brunello Di Montalcino and Chianti Classico in Tuscany. While historically the quality of Sangiovese wines was variable, the best wines are influenced by terroir and low yields. At its best, it makes some of some of Italy’s best wines. It performs particularly well on limestone soils at higher altitudes yielding elegant age-worthy Tone & Backbone wines with a complex combination of red fruit, earth, and minerals.
Merlot
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It would be easier to detail where Merlot is not grown than vice-versa, as it is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. Depending on the terroir, the style can vary quite a bit. Generally, Merlot is fleshy and more fruit driven and with less aggressive tannins than its oft more austere blending partner, Cabernet Sauvignon, which also makes it more accessible in its youth. The quality and character can vary from crowd pleasing sweet plummy fruit to extraordinary complex velvety texture of a great right bank Bordeaux.
The land that constitutes the estate of Castello dei Rampolla has been owned by the same family since 1739, but it was not until the 1960s that Alceo di Napoli Rampolla dreamt of making a great wine. With the help of Giacomo Tachis, the famed oenologist known as "the father of Super Tuscans,” Rampolla was one the first estates in Chianti to grow cabernet sauvignon for the purpose of blending with sangiovese.
The estate is biodynamic, where even work in the winery is done according to lunar cycles. Biodiversity is seen as critical, with flowers, grass, and even insects considered important parts of the ecosystem. Grass and herbs are allowed to grow wild in the vineyards, which they not only think brings oxygen and organic matter to the soil, but which also offers the practical benefit of retaining water and minimizing erosion.
Castello di Rampolla’s two flagship wines are a tour de force in winemaking. The Sammarco is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, while the Vigna d’Alceo is a Bordeaux blend that is a standout in Italy and beyond. Both wines are layered, with an impeccable balance of power and nuance.
