“Il Caberlot” Rosso IGT 2020 · MAGNUM

Il Carnasciale | Tuscany
Il Carnasciale s.r.l. soc. agr. | Loc. Podere Il Carnasciale | IT 52020 Mercatale Valdarno

29112120 · 1,5 l · 199,33 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping< 24 units available

Since the first vintage in 1988, there has been no other wine in the world made from the mysterious Caberlot grape variety, a natural cross between Cabernet Franc and Merlot, which the agronomist Remigio Bordini discovered in an overgrown vineyard near Padua at the end of the 1960s. What began with a superstitious gesture – wolf and Bettina Rogosky buried a bottle of Sassicaia under the first Caberlot vine in 1986 – developed into a cult icon of the Tuscan wine world. Only 3,900 magnum bottles of the 2020 Il Caberlot are produced annually in the barren heights of Mercatale Valdarno, where iron-rich sandstone soils over limestone bedrock create a rarity that collectors in 24 countries covet. Each bottle is personally numbered by Bettina Rogosky and recorded in a small notebook – a ritual that emphasises the exclusivity of this wine dream come true.

2020 presented Il Carnasciale with particular challenges: Unusually heavy rainfall during the harvest period forced the team to make quick decisions. These climatic adversities shaped the character of the 2020s and created an Il Caberlot of rare finesse and restraint – a quiet, almost meditative interpretation of the legendary grape variety, which reveals a different kind of greatness in its tranquillity. After a hand-picked harvest and rigorous selection, the grapes undergo gentle vinification in small stainless steel tanks at a controlled 28°C. Each vineyard is fermented separately. Each single vineyard is fermented separately and the cap is broken by hand twice a day. Malolactic fermentation takes place in French barriques – 60% new, two thirds Tronçais oak, one third Allier and Vosges with medium toast. The 2020 matured for 22 months in these fine wooden barrels, only being decanted once before blending. After bottling in magnum bottles, a further 16 months of ageing followed in the historic cellars – a patience that is only justified for truly great wines.

Il Caberlot 2020 presents itself in a bright ruby red colour with fine violet reflections – a colour of hypnotic intensity. The extraordinary bouquet reveals all the complexity of this unique grape variety: initially mint chocolate and ripe blackberries, followed by dried rose petals and cold smoke. Mineral notes of stone and slate mingle with hints of leather and the characteristic white pepper of Caberlot. Layers of blackcurrant, violet, iron, cedar and tobacco unfold in the glass – an aromatic profile of dizzying depth. On the palate, the 2020 is a wine of quiet grandeur: full-bodied, rich and elegant at the same time, with a delicately creamy texture and powerful compactness. The characteristic spiciness of Caberlot unfolds in multi-layered waves, carried by powdery tannins and lively acidity. Notes of black fruit, sage and dark spices culminate in a savoury, endlessly lingering final. Despite its youthful vigour, the 2020 already possesses exceptional harmony. SUPERIORE.DE

"Bright ruby red colour. Mint chocolate, ripe blackberries, dried rose petals, cold smoke and cold stone on the nose, with some leather and pepper on the finish. Textured on the palate, with a delicately creamy body, powerful, compact, comes in many layers, still a little young tannin on the final, salty and very long finish." Falstaff

"Very characterful and spicy nose full of peppery fruit. Lots of black pepper, some pencil lead and a fleshy undertone in the blue fruit. Polished and wild on the palate with medium body, fresh, high acidity and lots of crushed blueberries on the linear, long finish. Caberlot, a cross between Cabernet Franc and Merlot." James Suckling

"Relatively speaking, the Caberlot 2020 is a delicate, restrained wine. Structurally, the 2020 feels a little soft, probably because of the rain during the harvest. Inviting aromas and a medium-weight structure are its calling card. Bright, red-coloured fruit, rose petals, mint, dried herbs, incense and blood orange are well developed. In 2020, the Caberlot is quite restrained. I find it to be one of the calmest, quietest Caberlots I have ever tasted. This wine will drink well with minimal cellaring time." Vinous

"Full, rich and elegant, with aromas and flavours of blackcurrant, black cherry, violet, iron, cedar and tobacco. It is characterised by purity, finesse, excellent balance and a long, lingering aftertaste." Wine Spectator