“Ampeleia” Cabernet Franc Costa Toscana IGT 2020 (BIO) late release

Ampeleia | Tuscany
Ampeleia s.a. s.r.l. | Loc. Meleta | IT 58028 Roccatederighi

09922220 · 0,75 l · 46,67 €/lavailable immediately

The Colline Metallifere – the Metalliferous Hills – take their name from what people have been extracting from the ground here for thousands of years: copper, iron and silver. An ancient mining landscape, part of the UNESCO Geopark since 2024, set amongst volcanic and limestone soils that bear witness to three million years of geological history. 500 metres above sea level, in the Alta Maremma, Demeter biodynamic. Elisabetta Foradori – the woman who brought Teroldego back to life in Trentino – founded Ampeleia together with Giovanni Podini and Thomas Widmann, because they believed that this place, with Cabernet Franc, could express something it has never expressed elsewhere.

The name is Greek: Ἀμπέλεια – goddess of the vine. And the estate’s philosophy is simple: Gentle Souls. No power for power’s sake. No wood that overpowers. Instead: concrete, which preserves the fruit and allows the minerality to breathe. 100% Cabernet Franc from the oldest vines on the most limestone-rich plots, with a yield of 30 hectolitres per hectare – —exceptionally low. 10 per cent of the grapes are crushed whole. 18 months in concrete tanks, followed by a year’s bottle ageing. The 2020 vintage is being released now, in 2026 – , six years after the harvest. This is neither a coincidence nor a delay. It is the time this wine needs to become what it is meant to be.

Ampeleia describes itself as a wine that “shouts with delicacy”. That is spot on: the minerality of the Colline Metallifere, wild berries, balsamic notes, aromatic herbs, spices – complex, deep, with a tranquillity that unfolds on the nose. Silky and concentrated on the palate, with a long, harmonious final. Just 10,000 bottles – for those who have waited six years. SUPERIORE.DE

"Fresh and fragrant, with notes of blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, violets and iron. It is full-bodied and concentrated, with a hint of wild herbs. It offers excellent balance and a long-lasting finish that lingers on the palate." Wine Spectator

"A complex, spicy and multi-layered wine with aromas of black cherries, peonies, violets, wild strawberries and cinnamon sweets. On the palate, it is refined, with ripe, velvety tannins, lively acidity, medium body and a long, spicy finish with a slightly toasty note. Suitable for drinking now or for ageing." James Suckling

"The 2020 Ampeleia, 100% Cabernet Franc, is superb. Aromatic and layered, with striking textural intensity, the Ampeleia is so impressive in this tasting. The purity of the flavors is remarkable. This 2020was done with fully destemmed fruit." Vinous