2018 Villa Saletta Giulia Rosso Toscane

The year 980 is the first year where the first observation of wine making at Villa Saletta has been found. A whole history behind a winery, that is why they make their wines completely traditionally. Since 2000 the winery is in the hands of Guy and Julia Hands.

Only perfect berries are used, using small new barrels of Allier French oak with integral fermentation. Perlè barrels are also used, which create a 'redox atmosphere'. This reduces the amount of oxygen the grapes are exposed to, allowing the first drops of wine to develop slowly on the skins. This preserves freshness and aroma while extracting colour and roundness for an elegant and supple soft tannic structure.

All wines are given a full malolactic fermentation in new French oak barrels. This converts the sharp acidity into softer, more buttery flavours. They are one of the few Italian companies to do this full (and expensive) malolactic fermentation in new oak and is a technique more associated with (top) Bordeaux wines.

The grapes for Saletta Giulia, the estate’s flagship wine, are carefully selected by hand and placed in small crates. They are then selected a second time on sorting tables in the Villa Saletta cellar before being destemmed and lightly pressed. Fermentation takes place partly in new barrels and partly in small stainless steel tanks at a temperature of 26°C. The skin contact period lasts 20 days, during which gentle extraction takes place

The must is then placed in French oak barrels for complete malolactic fermentation. The blend is aged for 20 months and then a further six months in bottle before being released. This creates a wine with intensity and complexity, plus the ability to evolve for at least 10 years or more.

The nose opens with notes of spice and toasted oak with aromas of berry fruit, liquorice and violets. The flavours are full and smooth with a sweet finish of ripe red berries. This is an elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc characterised by notes of dark chocolate and tobacco. The 20 months of barrel aging lends the Saletta Giulia its unique structure and character.

94/100 Suckling