Lupicaia 2019
IGT Toscana, Tenuta del Terriccio, 750 ml
Description
This is the premium wine and the flagship of the Castello del Terriccio. Its name comes from the place where the wolves (lupi) used to attack their prey from their hiding place. The Bordeaux blend, dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, is intense, rich and exceptionally deep on the nose, with a great fruity aroma of blackcurrants and wild blackberries that blends wonderfully with the balsamic scents of eucalyptus and Mediterranean curry. Enchanting, seductive and velvety on the palate, it appears dense and juicy, with superb tannins. Its balsamic and warm aroma is accompanied by minty freshness and a mineral vein. It is a wine with a lot of personality, which lingers elegantly and for a long time on your palate. The Lupicaia, with its high quality consistency, receives almost every year 3 bicchieri in the Gambero rosso.
Attributes
| Grape variety: | Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot |
| Producer: | Castello del Terriccio |
| Origin: | Italy / Toscana / Montescudaio |
| Label: | Vegan |
| Ripening potential: | 5 to 15 years |
| Drinking temperature: | 16 to 18 °C |
| Food Pairing: | Brasato di manzo al Barolo, Fegato alla veneziana, Mushroom ragout, Spicy hard cheese |
| Vinification: | long must fermentation |
| Harvest: | hand-picking |
| Maturation: | in tonneau |
| Bottling: | no filtration |
| Maturation duration: | 22 months |
| Volume: | 15.0 % |
| Note: | Contains sulphites |
Petit Verdot
Bordeaux’s secret weapon
It is commonly said that the Petit Verdot originated in Bordeaux. But genetically, it is closer to a group of vines from near the Pyrenees, which are most likely descended from wild clematis. In French, these wild plants are called “lambrusques”, and the Petit Verdot is also known under the synonym Lumbrusquet. It is a high quality grape: very dark and spicy with notes of cassis and graphite, plenty of robust tannins and strong acidity. Most major Bordeaux contain a small proportion of Petit Verdot. Appropriately, it is valued wherever wines are produced according to the Bordeaux recipe. For example, in Italian Maremma or in California, where it covers the largest area worldwide. It is almost never vinified purely by itself. Incidentally, its name, derived from “vert”, meaning green, alludes to its Achilles heel: in cool weather it tends to form small, seedless green grapes.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The backbone of Bordeaux
The Cabernet Sauvignon gives the Bordeaux its backbone, yielding deep violet wines with powerful tannins and endless ripening potential. It is the top dog in Médoc, and is placed in all five premier crus of Bordelais. When young, it often appears strict and unapproachable, but with advancing years, its tannins round off. It is wonderfully velvety, and yet always maintains its freshness. Typical flavours include cassis, graphite and cedar. Wherever Cabernet Sauvignon is found, Merlot is not far away. It complements the robust structure of Cabernet with softness, fruit and richness. The Cabernet Sauvignon is the most-exported vine in the world. It delivers persuasive qualities in Italy as an ingredient of the Super Tuscan, or as the flagship variety from California. There, it is lovingly titled “Cab Sauv”. Meat fans should be aware that it fantastically accompanies a grilled entrecôte. The family tree of Cabernet Sauvignon is surprising: its parents are Cabernet Franc and the white Sauvignon blanc.
Italy
Italy – Where wine is a way of life
The Italian wine regions are extremely diverse, and this is made clear in their wines. Established varieties such as Merlot, Syrah, and Sauvignon can be found on just 15 percent of the total vine growing area. The remaining 85 percent is reserved for autochthonous, indigenous varieties. More than 2,000 different grape varieties are grown under diverse conditions and pressed with various techniques into wines that reach the top tier of the international wine market.
