2004 Redigaffi

Tua Rita is located in Suvereto, one of the warmer micro-climates in Tuscany. Co-owner Stefano Frascolla and consulting oenologist Stefano Chioccioli have turned out a beautiful set of 2004s which I was able to taste with them at the property. The wines were every bit as impressive when I re-tasted them recently in New York. I found the 2003s to be more variable. “Clearly owing to the extreme heat 2003 was a very complicated harvest for us,” says Frascolla. “Many plants shut down because of the hydric stress and our production numbers were significantly lower than normal. The wines have slightly firmer tannins than is usually the case, but I think the wines will come together in the bottle. It is a vintage that will require more patience, both in the cellar and as the wines open up in the glass. That said the acidity readings are still quite high which makes me think the wines have the ability to age. We are extremely pleased with 2004, which like 1999, is once of my favorite vintages. The wines have the concentration we look for but at the same time they have always been incredibly accessible even when they were in barrel. It is a more balanced vintage and the higher acidity makes these wines refreshing, inviting and easy to drink.” The estate works with high-density vineyards and low yields per plant. Frascolla aims to find the right balance for each plant, so yields may be higher on one plant and lower on another. Once the fruit is harvested it is put through a meticulous sorting process which I witnessed as the last of the Merlot was being brought in on the day of my visit. Fermentations are carried out with selected years in stainless steel although in recent vintages the new Syrah as well as parts of the Merlot for Redigaffi have been fermented in wood uprights. Frascolla and Chiocciolo favor long fermentations lasting several weeks. The wines do malo in barrique, where they also age prior to undergoing a slight egg-white clarification but no filtration prior to being bottled. In most vintages the percentage of new oak varies from 60-70% for the Giusti di Notri to 100% for the Redigaffi and 200% for the estate's newest wine, the superb Syrah.

The winemaking team of Stefano Frascolla and consultant Stefano Chioccioli never seem to miss a beat, and the estate has turned out very strong wines in 2003 and stellar ones in 2004. Frascolla described 2004 as "almost perfect, with plenty of light and the right amount of water," and harvested a week later than usual. All the wines had high final acidities of 6.4 to 6.9 grams per liter and plenty of extract. It's a year when Tua Rita's very stony soil really shines through. "Two thousand three was really tough: we started harvesting the white grapes on the 6th of august, a record for us, said Frascolla. "Keep in mind that the summer-like heat started a month ahead of time, and never let up." Wine lovers ought to know that Stefano makes a few barrels every year of an amazing cabernet franc/petit verdot blend (roughly 50/50) that is finer-textured and even more seamless than his other wines. But since this leaner, higher-acid wine represents a departure from the rich, concentrated house style, he hasn't yet bottled it on its own yet, preferring to blend it into the other wines. To my taste, it's already better than the Giusto di Notri, and as good as the Redigaffi.