### Castello di Ama - Looking Back at the 2006s

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | MAY 20, 2024

I vividly remember the first time I truly fell in love with Castello di Ama wines. It was 2009. After we had gone through the releases, Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti opened a few older wines. It was at that moment that I started to understand how well these wines can age. In the years that followed, I had the good fortune to report on several verticals.

Sebasti and Pallanti surprised me with the 2006s on my most recent visit. Pallanti describes 2006 as a relatively cool year compared to 2020, which we tasted just prior. “Spring was quite fresh, so the vines got off to a late start,” Pallanti explained. “Summer turned very hot, but rains in August helped re-establish balance in the vineyard.” I could not help thinking how much the definition of what constitutes cool and hot seasons has evolved over the last fifteen years. When these wines were made, 2006 was considered a hot year, but today, it would be thought of as a cool vintage.

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1716212668951-CF_May202024.jpg)

As for the wines, they have aged so gracefully. The 2006s here are potent, structured reds for the cellar. This was an impressive showing all around.

The **2006 Chianti Classico Castello di Ama** is just starting to show the first signs of aromatic maturity. Even so, it remains quite youthful. Scents of sweet tobacco, leather, licorice, cured meats and dried herbs are so suggestive. I expect the 2006 will continue to drink well for another decade, maybe more, given its depth. The blend is 80% Sangiovese and 20% Malvasia Nera, Merlot and Canaiolo. **92** /Drink 2024-2036.

Explosive and potent, the **2006 Chianti Classico Vigneto La Casuccia** certainly makes an impression. At nearly twenty years of age, it remains vibrant and even a bit austere. Red cherry/plum fruit, blood orange, spice and tobacco lend nuance, but I am most drawn to the wine's energy. The 2006 is showing so well today. **96** /Drink 2024-2036.

The **2006 Chianti Classico Vigneto Bellavista** is magnificent. Graphite, juniper berries, savory herbs and tobacco give this dark, somber Chianti Classico tons of character. The blend of 85% Sangiovese and 15% Malvasia Nera is so compelling. Although it is nearly twenty years old, the 2006 remains so youthful. Today, it is utterly captivating and still improving. **97** /Drink 2024-2036.

The **2006 L'Apparita** is 100% Merlot, but in this vintage, it tastes more like a wine from Castello di Ama than anything else. Dark, intensely savory and super-expressive, the 2006 is a towering, statuesque wine. It is also incredibly young and full of life. Readers still cellaring it are in for a real treat. **98** /Drink 2024-2036.

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Cellar Favorite: Castello di Ama - Looking Back at the 2006s

Cellar Favorite: Castello di Ama - Looking Back at the 2006s (May 2024)

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