Castello Di Ama, 2020 | 18x 75cl Parcel

THIS PARCEL OF 18 BOTTLES INCLUDES:

Castello di Ama, L’Apparita 2020, 6x750ml, In Bond

99 points, Antonio Galloni

“The 2020 L’Apparita will soon take its place among the great Apparitas. Unctuous and layered in the glass, the 2020 possesses exceptional balance and tons of character right out of the gate. Exotic scents of blackberry jam, chocolate, new leather, licorice and smoke are so alluring. Imposing tannins need time to soften, but once that happens readers will be treated to a spectacular Apparita that captures all the best the vintage had to offer. Marco Pallanti waited until mid-September (late for the year) to bring in this fruit. That decision paid off handsomely.”

100% Merlot farmed from two tiny parcels at the top of the Bellavista estate. Typically such a prime site would have been reserved to produce an estate’s finest Sangiovese but it shows the foresight of Lorenza and Marco to plant Merlot instead. With soil rich in the same mineral-packed blue clay that is responsible for the very best wines of Pomerol, it is also Tuscany’s most venerable 100% Merlot, the first vintage produced two years before Masseto, which it frequently outscores at a fraction of the price.

Castello di Ama, Vigneto Bellavista 2020, 6x750ml, In Bond

98 points, Antonio Galloni

“The 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto Bellavista is outrageously beautiful. Graphite, crushed rocks, lavender, menthol and juniper berry all race out of the glass. A dollop of Malvasia Nera adds striking savory/earthy intensity. Black fruit, gravel, incense and cloves build over time, framed by potent Bellavista tannins that need time to soften.”

80% Sangiovese, with the final 20% being made up of local variety Malvasia Nera and is farmed from a single vineyard very rich in clay. Again, it is made only in exceptional years and is aged for 12 months in 50% new French oak so as not to overpower the aromatics. The first vintage was 1982, which also marked Marco Pallanti’s first harvest and just like the Casuccia, it has been made just 10 times since the turn of the millennium.

Castello di Ama, Vigneto la Casuccia 2020, 6x750ml, In Bond

97+ points, Antonio Galloni

“Usually a wine of sensuality, the 2020 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Vigneto La Casuccia is a powerhouse. That is probably a good thing for its long-term aging prospects, but readers will have to patient. Intense savory and mineral notes infuse the 2020 with tons of complexity. Even in this warm year, the 2020 is not opulent, but it is packed with tremendous intensity and pure power. Red-toned Sangiovese fruit emerges over time, but the 2020 is going to require a measure of patience.”

80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot, from three individual plots singled out for their exceptional quality. The first vintage was in 1985 and it is only made in miniscule quantities when Ama think the quality is high enough – since the turn of the millennium, it has only been made 10 times, for example.