Discovery Tasting: Tua Rita

15 June, 2021 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm BST

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The famous cellars where Redigaffi are aged at Tua Rita

Tua Rita was founded in 1984, with Rita and Virgilio Bisti recognised as among the earliest ‘Super Tuscan’ producers. Nestled on the slopes of the ‘metalliferous hills’ of the Maremma, an area known as the Val di Cornia in the coastal region of Tuscany.

Tua Rita is a benchmark for winemaking in the region and has gained a reputation for producing some of the most iconic Italian wines. The original plot of 2Has has now grown to 30Has where they have carved out a reputation for being some of the best producers of Cabernet and Merlot in Tuscany. Tua Rita gained cult status in Italy and around the world with the famous Redigaffi, which has won praise from the world’s most famous wine critics and sommeliers – this was the first Italian wine to win an 100 point score from barrel from the inimitable Robert Parker with the 2000 vintage. Today, they continue to innovate, championing Syrah and amphora-aged wines.

Tua Rita’s wines command great respect, as do the family’s tradition of meticulous winemaking and vine growing practices, coupled with their modesty and attention to detail. This is very much a family concern with management of the estate passing to the founders’ daughter and her husband Stefano Frascolla, who will be joining us to explain these fabulous wines.

Three generations of Super Tuscan winemaking

Join us on the 15th June, showcasing the whole range of wines, including icon Rosso di Notri and Giusto di Notri, their new amphora-aged Syrah Keir, and an older vintage of the famous Redigaffi. It’s a fabulous line of stunning wines and a rare chance to taste the best of Italian winemaking today.

The wines to be tasted in this session

  1. Rosso dei Notri  2019
  2. Perlato del Bosco 2017
  3. Syrah Keir 2017
  4. Giusto di Notri 2018
  5. Redigaffi 2010
  6. Sese 2017

Webinar Regsitration

This webinar and tasting takes place at the same time as Discovery Tasting: Rias Baixas – please apply for either session, not both.

Tasting samples

Sorry, all tasting kits have been snapped up.

Please provide your Instagram account name if you have one, so we can share content with you on social media (optional).

POLITE NOTICE TO ALL

We understand you have work commitments and may, at the very last minute, not be able to join the webinar. Please do try to let us know in advance because the winemakers will be expecting you.

Tasting kits are very popular. We give priority to new members and those who have not yet received one of these fabulous FREE tasting kits. Every member is eligible to apply for a tasting kit, and there are hundreds of you now – so please do not be disappointed if you don’t get a set of wines on this occasion. We have plenty more tastings planned and we will ensure everyone gets their fair share (we have a lovely excel spreadsheet keeping track of all requests – so you won’t be overlooked!).

Discovery Tasting: Querciabella Super Tuscan

It’s not often that you get to taste a range of wines form a Super Tuscan producer but we were lucky enough to get the main man from Querciabella, winemaker Manfred Ing, to show us his wines with a little help from his colleague Giorgio Fragiacomo.

The Querciabella vineyards in Tuscany

Querciabella has to be one of the most famous wine names in Tuscany. They’re one of the original Super Tuscan producers having first released their flagship wine Camartina in 1982. With some of the highest vineyards in Chianti, from the outset they were committed to producing a more elegant, terroir-focused wine than their contemporaries: the Burgundy to Bolgheri’s Bordeaux.

In Chianti, the vines run across the communes of Greve, Radda, and Gaiole. Their wines are a mosaic of different micro-plots – sometimes a single row – all harvested and vinified individually under the expert guidance of winemaker Manfred Ing. Alongside their land in the heart of Chianti Classico, Querciabella also established plots in Maremma on the Tuscan coast in 2000, and today they represent the largest holdings of certified vegan and organic vineyards in Italy.

Site selection is crucial to the style of the wines and is testament to the care and attention to detail employed by Manfred and his team.

“I talk about wines in terms of colours. People may laugh but it is the light and the dark and the textures that you get from each row, each plot that make the wine what it is.” He adds, “Bringing all those colours together is how we construct the nuances of the fruit and terroir in each bottle.”

Manfred Ing, winemaker, Querciabella

Sustainability has always been at the heart of Querciabella – working with organic methods since 1988 and certified in 2000, biodynamic practices since 2000, and 100% vegan since 2010. Today, they practice a unique form of plant-based biodynamics that is tailored specifically to their location and style. It’s all about biodynamics and vegan wines here.

It made a change to have a South African, Manfred, and an Australian, Giorgio, presenting such quintessentially Italian wines but their knowledge shone through. A quick trot round the vineyard before the tasting with Manfred gave us a great feel for the height of the vineyards and the variety of plots and soil types in the immediate area. This is Tuscany at its best.

The Wines

Chianti Classico 2017

“A declassified Chianti Riserva” according to Fragiacomo. Made from 100% Sangiovese this wine was first made in 1974, went organic in 1988 and biodynamic in 2000. It’s aged for 12 months in extra fine grained French oak barrels. The 2017 vintage was one of the driest on record in the region and the scarcity of rain, a cold winter, and a long, hot summer limited bunches and berries development. The high skin-to-juice ratio of the berries and ripe tannins made it a fine start for elegant wines of tension and structure.

Chianti Classico Riserva 2016

If the first wine was a declassified Riserva then this Riserva has to one of the best on the market. Spending 16 months in French oak, here the site selection becomes more important. The 2016 vintage was marked by a damp winter and cool spring but the almost perfect ripening conditions were supported by significant diurnal temperature variation that allowed for great phenolic maturation while preserving bright fruit flavours and zesty acidity.

Turpino 2017

A powerful blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Merlot this wine comes from the Maremma region, exclusively from the Alberese and Grosseto vineyard. Classified as an IGT to avoid the restrictive DOG rules, the Turpino shows the magnificent potential of this little known region squashed between Tuscany and the sea. Dry and hot, 2017 yielded a powerful wine which has been aged in fine grained oak for 16 months.

Camartina 2016

The original Super Tuscan from Querciabella, this is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese, first made in 1981. The meticulous selection in the different vineyards and the winery, the galestro soils and the careful ageing for 18 months (30% new) make this a stunning wines in anyone’s book. The cooler vintage conditions make it a touch more reserved but still powerful and able to age for decades.

Camartina 2003

It was a privilege for our members to taste an older wine and with nearly 20 years on this one you can really see the potential of these wines. Fine, integrated and supple, the complexity of the different terroirs really are a treat. 2003 was a hot, dry vintage and you can taste the sun in this wine but the diurnal variation gives it a linear acidity, and the fruit still shines despite the wine’s age. A true example of Super Tuscan class.

Batàr 2017

Possibly one of the best white wines to come out of Tuscany. A legendary blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco. This was a rare chance to taste a stunning wine (once called Batard, but the EU put a stop to that!) which has been vinified since the late 1980’s. The Chardonnay is produced in the characteristic galestro soils which give the wines it’s famed flintiness and precision. The Pinot Bianco north-facing plots with heavier clayey components give the wine a delicious rich texture. Maturation on the lees for 9 months in oak brings structure and toastiness but the fruit is still predominant. What a treat!

Shipped into the UK by Armit Wines. Find out more at www.armitwines.co.uk and http://www.querciabella.com

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sommeliercollective

Discovery tasting: Querciabella

17 May, 2021 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm BST

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Querciabella has to be one of the most famous wine names in Tuscany. One of the original Super Tuscan producers having first released their flagship wine Camartina in 1982.

The Sommelier Collective has secured a fabulous tasting with winemaker Manfred Ing, winemaker and director Giorgio Fragiacomo straight from the tasting room at their estate, including an exclusive first tasting of the new Camartina 2016.

With some of the highest vineyards in Chianti, from the outset they were committed to producing a more elegant, terroir-focused wine than their contemporaries: the Burgundy to Bolgheri’s Bordeaux.

In Chianti, the vines across the communes of Greve, Radda, and Gaiole, their wines are a mosaic of different micro-plots – sometimes a single row – all harvested and vinified individually under the expert guidance of winemaker Manfred Ing. Alongside their land in the heart of Chianti Classico, Querciabella also established plots in Maremma on the Tuscan coast in 2000, and today they are the represent the largest holdings of certified vegan and organic vineyards in Italy.

Sustainability has always been at the heart of Querciabella – working with Organic methods since 1988 and certified in 2000, biodynamic practices since 2000, and 100% vegan since 2010. Today, they practice a unique form of plant-based biodynamics that is tailored specifically to their location and style.

Hosts

Join winemaker Manfred Ing and Export Director Giorgio Fragiacomo in exploring their fascinating wines.

Manfred Ing, winemaker, Querciabella
Giorgio Fragiacomo, export director, Querciabella

Join us on Monday 17 May at 4pm to experience some truly mind-blowing wines.

Wines to be tasted

RSVP – register to receive a webinar link

Delivery details for tasting samples

SORRY, all tasting kits have been snapped up already for this event.

Please note: wine samples are available for only 30 members. If you have been allocated tasting samples you will be contacted by email with delivery details.

Please provide your Instagram account name if you have one, so we can share content with you on social media (optional).

POLITE NOTICE TO ALL
PLEASE SUBMIT ONLY ONE FORM PER TASTING.

Tasting kits are very popular. We give priority to new members and those who have not yet received one of these fabulous FREE tasting kits. Every member is eligible to apply for a tasting kit, and there are hundreds of you now – so please do not be disappointed if you don’t get a set of wines on this occasion.
We have plenty more tastings planned and we will ensure everyone gets their fair share (we have a lovely excel spreadsheet keeping track of all requests – so you won’t be overlooked!).

Discovery Tasting: Fattoria Le Pupille

12 April, 2021 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm BST

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The first to produce a Super-Tuscan blend in the southern Maremma region, the highly-praised Saffredi, Fattoria le Pupille is synonymous with the Morellino di Scansano appellation.

The property boasts a unique location in the Southern Maremma, the only part of Tuscany to enjoy both coastal breezes and the altitude of rolling hills, resulting in an incredible freshness and elegance across all the entire range.

Elisabetta Geppetti was only 20 years old when she first took the reins of Fattoria le Pupille, and began building it into the world-renowned producer it is today. The second generation, her children Clara and Ettore, now help run the Estate and will guide us through their pioneering range of wines.

Hosts: Clara Gentili and Ettore Rizzi, family owners

The wines in this session

  1. Poggio Argentato 2019
  2. Rosamati 2020
  3. Morellino di Scansano 2019
  4. Morellino di Scansano Riserva 2018
  5. Poggio Valente 2018
  6. Saffredi 2018
  7. Le Pupille Syrah 2015
  8. Solalto 2008

UK importer: Armit Wines

Registration

This session will be video recorded and be available to watch by all members after the tasting. Details will be included in a forthcoming newsletter.

Delivery details for tasting samples

Please note: If you have been allocated tasting samples you will be contacted by email with delivery details. We have limited tasting kits available and these will be first allocated to members who have not yet taken part in a tasting.

The information you provide below is required for the courier company, please be accurate. Wines will arrive by APC Courier on the Friday before the session so please ensure someone is present at the address provided in order to receive the delivery. A text message will be sent to the mobile number you provide below to track the consignment. UK Mainland delivery only. Delays, loss and damages are beyond our control.

Please provide your Instagram account name if you have one, so we can share content with you on social media (optional).