1998 | Castello del Terriccio | Lupicaia

It's high-voltage Cabernet, with just a touch of Merlot, and it's layered with cassis, buttery oak, and some toast. The mouthfeel is full but elegant, with mint and clove nuances poking through to impact the bold currant-laden palate. A smooth, well-oaked, persistent finish is the encore.

Producer Information

Castello del Terriccio is a leading – and very picturesque – Tuscan estate on the coast north of Bolgheri, producing a range of Toscana IGT wines led by the Cabernet-Sauvignon-based Lupicaia cuvée. Both this wine – and the Syrah-based Castello del Tericcio – has achieved the top Tre Bicchieri (three-glass) rating from the influential Gambero Rosso gastronomic guide. The estate itself is one of the largest in Tuscany, covering 1500 hectares (3700 acres) although only 65 hectares (160 acres) are planted to vines. The vineyards are planted facing the sea in order to gain reflected sunshine from the water and sit on a variety of subsoils, with varying proportions of sand, clay and silt. Initial plantings were made in the 1980s, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc claiming some of the first plots. The other main varieties on the estate are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah, and Viognier. The estate's flagship wine, Lupicaia (first produced in 1993), is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend with a small proportion of Petit Verdot. Earlier vintages of the label also contained some Merlot. The Castello del Tericcio, first produced in 2000, is a Syrah-based wine, generally partnered with a lesser portion of Petit Verdot (although this depends on the vintage). The estate also makes the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot based Tassinaia (first made in 1992) and the white Con Vento – a blend of Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. Wines are generally fermented in stainless steel vats, although the winery also uses concrete vats for some wines, and aged in 225- or 500-liter French oak barrels. Lupicaia and Castello del Terriccio spend around 20 months in new oak and are bottled unfiltered. The farm also boasts a stud farm, a herd of Limousin cows, and 12,000 olive trees aross 40 hectares (100 acres). The man responsible for the development of the estate as a wine producer, and synonymous with Castello del Terriccio in the modern era, Gian Annibale Rossi di Medelana, died in Rome in 2019.

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