2004 La Ricolma

So many of Tuscany’s most famous wines achieved their vaunted status by accident. That is the case with San Guido’s Sassicaia, which for several decades was made solely for the Incisa della Rocchetta family’s home consumption. In 1978, Piero Antinori had more Cabernet Sauvignon than he needed for his Tignanello, so he bottled it separately. That wine became Solaia. Masseto was an experimental wine when it was first produced in 1986 as Il Merlot dell’Ornellaia. What about San Giusto a Rentennano’s Merlot La Ricolma? Well, it turns out La Ricolma has a pretty interesting story too. This complete vertical of La Ricolma was the first ever complete retrospective ever held at the estate.

The Vin Santo here is Italy's best after the two made by Avignonesi, and an insider's tip is that brothers Luca and Francesco Martini di Cigala always have a few barrels that are the equal of anything made there. Quantities are small though, and the brothers are toying with the idea of perhaps one day producing a stellar non-vintage sticky that people will rave about, though I shudder at the price it might command. Until they decide what to do, enjoy yourself with one of the greatest Super-Tuscans of them all, the 100%-sangiovese Percarlo, made from a selection of the best grapes of the property, and the 100%-merlot La Ricolma, a cult wine that is now back in top form after a few vintages that Luca was less than happy with. "The '03 is a transition year for the Ricolma," he says. "Now we're harvesting the merlot two weeks later on average, right before the sangiovese, which is unheard of. But we feel we get more richness and depth of flavor this way, without risking any jamminess."

What a pleasure it is to taste these new releases from San Giusto a Rentennano. Soft-spoken proprietor Luca Martini di Cigala is one of the humblest producers in Chianti Classico yet he routinely turns out deeply expressive, reference-point wines. The estate's 31 hectares of vineyards are planted on two distinct soil types. The first is composed of a sandy, marly mixture rich with rocks that reaches 4-5 meters in depth before reaching a bed of clay. Most of the fruit for the estate's signature wine, Percarlo, comes from this terroir. The second soil type is richer in clay and lies on a shallower foundation. Beginning in 2003 the estate has made some important changes in vineyard management, most notably in the Merlot plots that are used for La Ricolma. Martini favors a gradual approach to ripening that allows him to increase hang-time and harvest fairly late. By changing the timing of green harvests and leaving more leaf cover he is aiming to keep the vineyards as fresh as possible in order to delay the ripening of the typically precocious Merlot. Of course, much of that work was for naught in the torrid 2003 vintage, but in 2004 he has produced a wine that captures the essence of varietal wedded to an unmistakably Tuscan character. The estate favors small French oak barrels for its top bottlings, Percarlo and La Ricolma, both of which see about 50% new oak. The wines are made with the services of consulting oenologist Attilio Pagli whose transparent hand places him among the country's elite winemakers. As was the case throughout the region the 2003 harvest took place about three weeks earlier than usual. “Typically it takes us two weeks to harvest everything, but in 2003 there wasn't much fruit so we were able to get everything in the cellar in a week,” says Martini. “In 2004 we had completely different conditions. The weather was much more balanced, and we had the cool nights that are essential to for gradual ripening. That said, we also faced some challenges. We had some rain in August and that caused the berries to bloat a little, so we carried out a strict selection in the vineyards. In the cellar we performed a series of salassi (saignées) to restore the skin to liquid balance we look for. The wines have excellent minerality and acidity which should allow them to age well. For us I think 2004 is superior to 2001. Of course, its only over time that we understand how vintages age, and I am convinced that we all still have much to learn. I often find that the ‘great' vintages are those that often don't live up to expectations while the ‘smaller' vintages often turn out better than most people expect.” Readers who want to explore the finest Tuscany has to offer should make a note to check out this outstanding set of wines from San Giusto a Rentennano. While not inexpensive, in today's market these wines offer incredible value for the money.