Castello di Ama : L'Apparita 2017

A great red wine from Tuscany by Castello di Ama

The estate

Located at the heart of majestic landscapes in Tuscany, the Castello di Ama estate bears the name of the small village of "Ama", which is nestled at 500 metres above sea level.

Founded in 1970 by a group of families with the ambition to produce a Chianti Classico renowned as one of the greatest Italian wines and in the world, Castello di Ama is one of the major witnesses to this village’s historical heritage, where agricultural and viticultural activity has been famous for over five centuries. Having been rewarded and recognised for the quality of its wines several times, the Castello di Ama estate is, today, managed by Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallante, Tuscan oenologist elected as "winemaker of the year" in 2003 by the prestigious Italian magazine, "Gambero Rosso".

The vineyard

The Castello di Ama estate overlooks a vineyard of nearly 80 hectares, notably comprising the illustrious terroirs of Bellavista, San Lorenzo, Casuccia and Montebuoni, located on the historical zone of Chianti production and transmitted from generation to generation.

The wine

L’Apparita de Castello di Ama is the first Merlot produced in Tuscany, having been produced in the Toscana IGT appellation since 1985.

This unique wine, iconic from its first vintage, is made from grapes which come from the heights of the Bellavista vineyard, where the two plots which make up the Apparita vineyard are found. Planted on particularly rich, clayey soils, the grapes give rise to an exceptional wine which combine the expression of Merlot with the distinctive features of its terroir of origin.

The vintage

Although the start of the year was cold and rainy, March was marked by a sharp increase in temperatures. The frosty spell on 21 April blocked the phenological phase. The high temperatures in May and June were offset at the end of June by rainy spells. Although August was particularly hot, the significant rainfall record from 10 September was accompanied by a sharp drop in temperatures, making this month the coldest in September in 15 years.

Winemaking and ageing

The manually harvested grapes are subject to vinification in thermoregulated steel vats. Fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Manual pump-overs. Vatting for 28 days. After racking, the wine is transferred into barrels for malolactic fermentation, following which the wine is placed in fine-grained oak barrels (50% new barrels, 50% in barrels of two previous wines) to be aged for around 14 months.

Blend

L’Apparita 2017 by Castello di Ama is 100% Merlot.

Tasting

Colour

The wine is a deeply dense red.

Nose

The intense nose unveils a rich aromatic palette made up of fragrances of blackberry, blueberry, violet and walnut.

Palate

The palate seduces with its ripe tannins and its concentration as well as its finish marked by notes of supple, well-balanced fruit.