The second wine from the Italian departure lounge.
The Vietti notes can be found here.
Part 2 – The dance with Merlot continues.
I rarely step out of the Sangiovese comfort zone of Tuscany. Maybe it is the price of the Sassicaia, Tignanello and their ilk. Strange, by all reports they are amazing wines. Perhaps it is time to expand the Tuscan horizon?
We have had the Le Volte before, and enjoyed it. The confounding Merlot grape continues to surprise me. I purchased this second bottle because it plays on two distractions of mine. Merlot can actually produce excellent wines and the fact 2014 was a terrible vintage, and I love wines that defy vintages.
2014 was a challenging vintage in Tuscany. Chianti thrives on minimal winemaker intervention, it is an expression of the vineyard. In good vintages it sings, in poor vintages it suffers. IGT wines are no exception. Winemakers earn their money in these circumstances, and Alex Heinz of Ornellaia produced some terrific wines in 2014.
On the vintage he noted the following in relation to the LeVolte;
“The 2014 vintage was the most challenging in our memory, but has nevertheless enabled us to produce high quality wines that give immense pleasure. The late ripening of the grapes have made it possible to express the crispness and freshness of the fruit to best effect. What is striking is the high quality of the tannins on the palate: silky, refined and without any sharp edges, albeit with a lower density than in hotter vintages. Le Volte dell’Ornellaia is a balanced, harmonious and very drinkable wine thanks in particular to the beautiful Merlots of 2014.” – Alex Heinz.
70% Merlot.
15% Sangiovese.
15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Decanted for an hour.
Bright purple in the glass. Stewed fruits, almost sweet blackberry jam. The acid is volatile. The fruit profile over powers any other nuanced characters on the nose. It is acceptable on the palate, drinkable. But the acid is pronounced and hinting at vinegar. The fruit is there, but soft. It is a little flabby. The length remains, with long lingering tannins.
We drank it anyway, but it was not the wine I was hoping for.
I went back over my notes and this is nothing like the previous bottle we had. I am assuming heat damage. I should not be surprised, this was purchased in a supermarket and the wines are just not cared for. Previously the wine was scored 90 pts.
N/R – Heat damage.
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