“Empatia” Merlot Costa Toscana IGT 2020 (BIO) · MAGNUM in OWC

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

09922720 · 1,5 l · 152,67 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping10 units available

Empatia. A wine name that describes neither a grape variety, nor a terroir, nor a style. Rather, it describes an attitude. The ability to empathise with something else – with the soil, with the vine, with the moment of harvest. An attitude that suits a winery which calls itself "Gentle Souls" and for which biodynamics is not a certification but a way of life. Merlot at 500 metres. In the volcanic and calcareous soils of the Colline Metallifere, where the heat has a different quality to that of the flat Maremma coastal plains, where the nights are cooler and the winds blow in from the Metallifere hills. 30 hectolitres per hectare – the same radical yield restriction as for the Ampeleia Cabernet Franc. Cordone speronato. Harvest in the third week of September. Then the most unusual decision in the cellar: whole berries. Not whole bunches with stems – whole berries, the individual, undamaged berry. An extraction method that gives the wine a freshness and an inner tension that crushed grapes never produce.

12 months in concrete tanks. Then bottling – the only option. Magnums only. No more than 500 Magnums per vintage. In short, a wine that is virtually impossible to find. The 2020 vintage will be released in 2026. Six years. Just like the Ampeleia Cabernet Franc from the same vintage – the estate is in no hurry. The Empatia is released when it is ready.

A deep ruby red with violet highlights. The bouquet offers a freshness not found in any Bordeaux Merlot: wild berries, violets, balsamic notes and minerality from the rocks of the Colline Metallifera. Concentrated on the palate with a silky texture, well-integrated tannins and a long, cool, mineral final. This is pure empathy in a glass – for all those who know how to listen. SUPERIORE.DE

"Balanced, dense and textural, this merlot has aromas of red berries, warm spices, bark and some cocoa. Medium-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Powdery and driven with a flavorful finish. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold." James Suckling

"The 2020 Empatia is made from 100% Merlot and is bottled exclusively in magnum bottles. On the palate, it initially unfolds with an explosion of inky dark fruits, charcoal, incense, lavender and blackberries. This powerful, virile Merlot really packs a punch. It is one of the most distinctive and fascinating young wines I have ever tasted from Ampeleia." Vinous