Castello di Ama : Vigneto La Casuccia 2001

A Full-Flavoured Chianti Classico with Silky Tannins

The prestigious Castello di Ama estate is named after a small agricultural hamlet which, five hundred years ago, was a winemaking hub shared by a group of local families. The property we see today was founded in the 1960's as a collaboration between families aimed to bring the estate back to its former glory by producing high quality Chianti Classico wines. Castello di Ama is currently run by two families, those of Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti. The estate stretches over 80 hectares of vineyards at a radius of 3 kilometers around the historic hamlet, a property that can be divided into four distinct valley regions. The La Casuccia vineyard was purchased in 1972 and stretches over 12.5 hectares of vines planted in rich clay and limestone soils with some pebbles and gravel. The fruit is harvested from northeast and southwest facing vines to produce the single-vineyard Chianti Classico Casuccia, whose first vintage was the 1985. The Chianti Classico Casuccia 2001 from Castello di Ama is a blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot, fermented at a temperature between 30 and 33 ° C, with constant pump-overs. Maceration lasted 26 days. After racking, the wine was transferred to barrels, which is where malolactic fermentation took place. The wine was matured in Allier barrels, 80% new, for 14 months before bottling.

The Chianti Classico Casuccia 2001 displays a gorgeous deep, dark ruby red color in the glass with crimson hues. On the nose, this wine expresses ripe fruit aromas, including plums and strawberries, along with pressed flowers. Later on, notes of pipe tobacco and leather surface. On the palate, this wine displays a firm structure and full body, with silky smooth tannins. A superb Chianti Classico with a remarkable aging potential.