Alicante

Grapes: Syrah 90% – Alicante (Grenache, Alicante bouschet) 10%. The percentage may vary slightly according to the vintage. Vines: young (10 yrs old) vineyards located in the Comune di Scansano (Podere Keeling) and the Comune di Grosseto (Podere Adua). Mediterranean climate, mild winters and hot, dry and sunny springs and summers. Vinification: fermented and matured in stainless steel, temperature controlled vats. Notes: There are two kinds of grapes called Alicante in Maremma, one is the Grenache, with its floral and red berry flavors and pale ruby red color; the other is Alicante bouschet, a cross made by the Swiss plant breeder Bouschet in the 1850s between Grenache and the teintourier variety Petit bouschet. The color here is much darker, almost ink color, because the flash of the grape is not white like in most of the red variety but purple red (hence the name teintourier, given to this sort of varieties). Syrah and Alicante both benefit from sunny and warm climate, such as the one that is found in the Maremma, and produce intense, medium to full bodied spicy wines, with notes of pepper, elderflower, cloves, cassis, blackcurrant, herbs, reminiscent of the Mediterranean strong flavors. Yes, drink it now, can hold 2 to 3 years in bottle. Wine Spectator, 90 Points, Wine Advocate, 90 Points