Decanter: 100 Punkte
The 2019 vintage began with a cold spring. Temperatures picked up in July, and the season was even-keeled with no heat spikes or rain. The 2019 is a masterful creation with Bordelais elegance and brightness of character, underscored by zesty acidity and framed by powerful, elongated tannins that have real staying power. The wine shows a deep ruby colour and leads with explosive blue fruit and black cherry aromatics with elegant cedarwood and garrigue notes. Nuances of white pepper, charcuterie, blood orange, and sanguine minerality with rose petals on the long finish. One to cellar and enjoy for the next four or five decades. Winemaker Jean Hoefliger met the Webber family, owners of Monteverro, in 2003 at Newton in Napa Valley. The winery is in Capalbio, in the Tuscan Maremma, about a mile from the sea as the crow flies. The estate harbours 24.28 hectares of vines on eroded stony soils, much like the round river rocks of the Rhône Valley. The in-house winemaker is Matthieu Taunay, and Jean Hoefliger has served as a consultant since 2008, the first vintage. The winery is a state-of-the-art facility, allowing for stainless steel, concrete egg, and barrel fermentation. The Tinata is a unique blend for this region of Tuscany and is typically 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache each year. Aged in roughly 80% new French oak for 16 months. The Syrah remains in the barrel the entire time, but the Grenache goes up to concrete tanks halfway through ageing to avoid the oxidative potential of the grape and keep it fresh and lively, layering that quality to the blend. Sampled during a vertical tasting of 2008-2021 vintages in August 2024.
- Jonathan Cristaldi (08/2024)
