“Redigaffi” Merlot Toscana IGT 2023 · 3 bottles in OWC

Az. Agr. Tua Rita | Tuscany
Az. Agr. Tua Rita | Loc. Notri 81 | IT 57028 Suvereto

09673323 · 2,25 l · 323,11 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shipping3 units available

In 1994, Rita Tua and Virgilio Bisti set aside two barrels of Merlot, without realising that they were creating a cult wine that would catapult the winery onto the world stage. The name comes from a small stream that flows close to the vineyards, as unassuming as the project's very beginnings. Then, in 2000, came the sensation: Robert Parker awarded it a hundred points – the first ever for an Italian red wine. The Redigaffi became a legend, the epitome of Tuscan Merlot mastery, compared to Pétrus and Masseto – and yet distinct in its own right, shaped by the metal-rich hills of the Maremma, by loam and clay, by its proximity to the sea ... The vines grow in the middle section of the vineyard, where the clay content is highest – the very place where Merlot achieves its greatest density. Hand-selected in three passes, using only fully ripe grapes. Vinification involves a long maceration, followed by eighteen to twenty months in new French barriques, then months in the bottle before the wine leaves the estate.

The 2023 vintage, which Stefano Frascolla compares to 2019, is well-balanced, precise and possesses that natural balance which characterises great vintages. An intense, almost impenetrable ruby red. Precise and subtle on the nose: black olives, blackberries, sandalwood, along with a hint of iodine, oyster shells and a touch of meat. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, with tannins that run through the entire wine – compact, structured, with wonderful length and finesse. Focused, with a classic texture. Tobacco and liquorice on the finish, floral notes of Mediterranean scrub, intense and persistent. The elegance of the tannins is underpinned by the structure and balance. Long, sustained, graceful, refined. A wine that needs two to three years to open up fully – but then has decades ahead of it. Pair with braised beef, lamb chops or saddle of venison. Or simply enjoy it on its own, for what it is: a Merlot of the highest calibre, year after year! SUPERIORE.DE

"A vibrant, luminous ruby red. An intense nose with appealing notes of cedarwood, blueberries, blackberries and cassis, with a hint of Mediterranean herbs in the background. On the palate, it is tightly structured, earthy and brooding, with plenty of rich berry fruit and firm tannins, and balsamic notes on final." Falstaff

"A brooding style, this red evokes blackberry, plum compote, Black Forest cake, earth and mineral flavors. As this builds midpalate, accents of vanilla and toasty oak emerge. Overall this is balanced, fresh and long, if a bit rigid today." Wine Spectator

"The 2023 Redigaffi is characterised by super-ripe dark fruit, truffles, dried herbs, liquorice and mocha. Already quite open and delicate, the 2023 gives the impression of a wine that is ready to drink and will probably mature somewhat faster than is usual here." Vinous

"The wine displays a creamy, almost milky quality with dark fruits, blackberries, cherry compote and hints of milk chocolate on a lush mid-palate. Redigaffi offers structure and power without being cloying, delivering a wonderfully controlled and tactile expression." Wine Advocate

"Precise and subtle aromas of black olives, blackberries, sandalwood, iodine and oyster shells, with a hint of meat. Medium to full-bodied, with tannins that extend throughout the wine's length, displaying a compact and structured character as well as wonderful length and finesse. Focused, with an elegant texture. So long, sustained, graceful and refined." James Suckling