2016 Rosso Rubicone, Tenuta Gacci, Tuscany, Italy

The very first release of a wine that we expect will go on to be considered one of Italy's greats. It's an extraordinary red with great concentration, complexity and development.

On the nose the aromas are complex; blackcurrants, plums, liquorice and an undertone of leather. Full bodied and balanced on the palate with notes of ripe red fruits such as cherries and blackberries, as well as delicate spice nuances and tobacco that give the wine a unique character. The tannins are soft and well integrated, resulting in a supple and long-lasting finish.

The fields are cultivated organically and the property is certified from vintage 2018. The sorted bunches of grapes are de-stemmed, but the grapes are not pressed and left in whole bunches. Spontaneous fermentation occurs with the wild yeast from the skins, followed with semi-carbonic maceration. The weight of the grape clusters crushes the grapes at the bottom of the tank, releasing their juice, they then release carbon dioxide initiating intracellular fermentation that eventually burst their skins. The maceration typically last 22-27 days, and the wines are stored for 18-28 months in thick 500 litre casks of Slavonian oak.

This property was officially founded in 2014 by the owner Sandra Lodi. The winery is located in Verucchio in the central Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, immediately north of the Republic of San Marino and 20 kilometres southeast of Rimini, which lies on the Adriatic Sea. There is a long history of viticulture in the area that can be traced back to the Etruscans and until at least 1000 BC, the ancient village was chosen to cultivate different qualities of vines, exporting their wines across the Alps with close contact with the East and North Europe, becoming an “international” port and an important stop on the Via dell’Ambra.  The Gacci Estate produces a single wine, the first released vintage of the estate's wine the red Rubicone Rosso IGT, was 2016. A unique blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Ancellotta with the model in mind to use variable proportions of each grape in a blend vintage by vintage. The Marecchia Valley is wild and untouched, surrounded by towering hills surpassed by ancient fortresses including Verucchio, Saiano, Torriana, Montebello, Pietracuta and San Leo. Towers, castles, small country churches were built on the remains of ancient buildings from the Villanovan and Etruscan periods and testify to the rich historical heritage of this corner of the Valmarecchia. Gacci is placed at the centre of this scenery at a height between 150 and 300 meters above sea level. It is a WWF Oasis – 1 of only 100 in all Italy – and is located on the border of the Estate. The 9.3 ha of vineyards are situated along the right bank of the Marecchia river, at the foot of the Ventoso hill, a few thousand metres from the sea. For this reason, it enjoys the thermal influence of the marine breezes and all vineyards exposed to West-South-West also benefit from the constant wind coming from the Marecchia river. The area experiences a high and stable number of sunshine hours, and it all contributes to healthy and dry plants and grapes.