ROCCA DI FRASSINELLO CELEBRATES ITS 20 HARVESTS
The limited edition dedicated to this special anniversary has been unveiled during a Masterclass led by the first Italian Master of Wine, Gabriele GorelliTwenty years ago, on the hills of Rocca di Frassinello estate, in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma, the first harvest took place. From the bunches of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Rocca di Frassinello – Maremma Toscana DOC 2004 was born, the first label, the grand vin according to the Bordeaux classification, the maximum expression of the Italian-French project that gave life to Rocca di Frassinello, the only winery in the world designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano, born from a joint venture between Castellare di Castellina and Château Lafite Rothschild.
To celebrate this special anniversary, a limited edition of the Rocca di Frassinello wine was unveiled today during a Masterclass that took place in the cellar, led by the first Italian Master of Wine, Gabriele Gorelli, and the Rocca di Frassinello winemaker and Vice President, Alessandro Cellai.
Only 3 thousand numbered bottles, embellished with a black label with gold details, which contain the 2020 vintage produced with the best Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes. In particular, the Merlot grapes are the same ones that give life to Baffonero, the top wine of the cellar considered among the best Merlots in the world, as recently stated by the French journalist Jean-Francis Pécresse, with a full page in the newspaper Les Echos, owned by Arnault.
Hosting the event was Mr Paolo Panerai, President of Rocca di Frassinello, who has unveiled the limited edition in front of the national and international press, retracing the winery’s 20 harvests and recalling when the story started. “During a short stay in Bolgheri,” Paolo Panerai said, “I had lunch with Eric Rothschild. While we chatted, I told him that since there was no more viable land in Chianti Classico, I had bought 50 hectares in the hinterland of Castiglione della Pescaia and Punta Ala. ‘Let’s go and see them,’ Eric replied. Once there he told me: ‘If you can buy the five estates in the valley, we’ll make a joint venture, because, Paulò, le vin est un affair fonciér pour nostres nephews’, in a spontaneous mix of French and English”..
“The 50 hectares have become 500, of which 90 are planted with vines to preserve the Mediterranean scrub present within the estate, which is essential to guarantee biodiversity. The joint venture with Chateau Lafite ended a few years ago, when the Rothschild family decided to sell the shares of the companies where it was in the minority and to buy, to consolidate its position, the shares where it was in the majority. But the friendship and the imprint on the wines, which combine the power of the Tuscan Maremma and the typical elegance of the French ones, remain. And this vertical tasting, I believe, is proof of this””.
Master of Wine Gabriele Gorelli guided the participants on a tasting of the 2004, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2020 limited edition vintages, highlighting the peculiarities of each vintage and the common thread: elegance, complexity, balance and persistence. He was joined by the winemaker and vice president, Alessandro Cellai, who focused on the 2020 celebratory vintage of the 20 harvests.
“The 2020 harvest was characterized by excellent grape quality,” Cellai underlined. “Despite the rather hot summer temperatures, the overall climate trend allowed for perfect ripening of the bunches and a good temperature range between day and night favored the aromatic and polyphenolic concentration. All this can be found in the glass of Rocca di Frassinello 2020, a wine that manages to combine strength, intensity, elegance, with soft tannins that make it round in the mouth”.
Here is the video that traces the Rocca di Frassinello project in the words of Renzo Piano.
Photo Credit: Mamma Jumbo Shrimp
Tags: 20 anniversary, Gabriele Gorelli, Master of Wine, Rocca di Frassinello, Vertical tasting