Frascole
Pinot Nero 2017

Who would have thought that Pinot Noir from Tuscany could be so great! However, with vineyards at almost 300 metres, this region experiences warm days and very cool nights, which helps to build aromatic complexity and maintain acidity throughout the long growing season. The soils in the area are called Galestro, which is a clayey limestone. This is well-draining but able to maintain some moisture to insure against drought.

The fruit comes from the family’s high density (5000 vines/ha), low yielding organic vineyard planted in 2001. All fruit is handpicked with an initial sorting in the vineyard, followed by a second in the winery. Whole cluster, wild yeast fermentation and maceration in open-top tonneaux and concrete tanks with gentle pump-overs twice a day. Elevage is made in French barriques for 18 months. It is then transferred to concrete tanks for another 6 to 8 months before bottling without any fining or filtration, just a small amount of SO2 to ensure stability. Further aging in the bottle is done for two year. This is beautiful, precise pinot noir that rivals anything in Burgundy at twice the price.

It has an intense nose of macerated fruit, earth and humous and balsamic hints of pine and resin. In the mouth it is sappy with a beautiful seam of acidity. I brought this in for myself and a few friends who I know are real Pinot hounds.