September 2, 2008
What is the Greatest Interpretation of Merlot?

A Note from Sergio Toscana: Merlot’s Finest Terroir    or Territorio? Tua Rita: Redigaffi Tua Rita: Beyond Redigaffi

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Pétrus (95–100%). Le Pin (90–100%). L’Eglise-Clinet (80%). Trotanoy (90%). It is through eminent names such as these that Pomerol (along with the neighboring Saint-Émilion) has set the benchmark for Merlot—a standard that many regard as having no equal. The reality, however, is that the great Merlots of the Right Bank are often blends (as indicated by the percentages noted above) that bear stratospheric prices. Nevertheless, they carry a mystique and renown that overshadows other expressions of Merlot.

Enter Toscana—specifically, the southern region of the Maremma and, to be exact, Bolgheri. Here, the coastal Merlot stars of Redigaffi, Masseto, and Messorio are joined by the inland Galatrona, La Ricolma, and L’Apparita. These are pinnacle monovarietal expressions of Merlot, produced in minute quantities that powerfully evoke painstaking artisanal craftsmanship. Take a look at Pétrus. On average, it turns out a 4,000-case production. In contrast, Redigaffi and Messorio typically produce 600 cases. Even Masseto, at 2,000 cases, is substantially lower. (To put these quantities in perspective, one need only consider Château Margaux’s 20,000-plus case figure.) Likewise, Bordeaux wines are often quadruple the price of Italy’s iconic Merlots. Similar to the Pomerol cult wines, these Italian Merlots have distinguished themselves by delivering substantive and complex expressions that offer lushness in concert with exceptional structure and ageworthiness.

The issue isn’t about who makes better Merlot, but rather, it is why the serious collector should see these wines as paragons of Merlot. The critics brought attention to Redigaffi when they awarded the 1997 and 2000 vintages a perfect score (100), giving similar marks to Messorio and Masseto along the way. However, the established bias for and pedigree associated with many French wines remain powerful forces in the decision process of collectors, many of whom will often consider investing in Pomerol before even looking at the Maremma. If you are an enthusiast who is point-driven, then you need to acknowledge that selected Italian Merlots are outperforming the Pomerol classics. If you are someone who believes in territorio, as we do, then there is no better testament to these Merlots’ shared stature than the statement made by Jean-François Moueix at a comparative tasting of Masseto and Pétrus in 2004: “I don’t know if Masseto is a brother of Pétrus, but it might be the twin in Italy. What we have tasted today is the summit of quality red wines…This is when you really learn about the greatness of wine.”

The Maremma Takes on Pomerol Sampler
Tenuta dell’Ornellaia 2001 Masseto
Tenuta dell’Ornellaia 2004 Masseto
Tua Rita 2000 Redigaffi**
Tua Rita 2005 Redigaffi**
Le Macchiole 2003 Messorio
Petrolo 2005 Galatrona**




(Limited Quantity: Wines available only by sampler)
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You would expect that the producer of Redigaffi, one of the world’s most renowned Merlots, would craft that sought-after bottling in surroundings that signify and complement the wine’s prestige. You would expect, to be honest, a certain air of grandeur, a certain imposing reserve and majesty. Tua Rita, however, has resolutely kept itself outside that realm. In fact, so modest and unassuming is the “estate” that it might strike you as the home of, at the very most, a house of local importance—an impression that is undoubtedly heightened by the medieval origins of Suvereto, the town in which Tua Rita is situated.

Indeed, that’s how Tua Rita started out—Redigaffi was a humble family winemaking project conducted in a tiny, rustic cellar. Though these passionate vignerons weren’t seeking commercial or critical recognition, it took only a few perfect ratings to turn a wine of disarmingly simple origins into a staple of the cult genre, a bottling that is not only a testament to the Maremma’s affinity for Merlot, but emblematic of genuine artisanal craft and spirit. That spirit prevails today at Tua Rita, most notably in the persona of owner Rita Tua, who founded the estate with partner Virgilio Bisti in 1984. Seemingly more a denizen of the kitchen than of the cellar, Rita Tua exudes the classic warmth that is the provenance of the Italian grandmother; the palpable human quality defining the estate is channeled through her ingratiating vitality.

And, of course, we can imagine that several of the estate’s wines received their debuts in Rita Tua’s kitchen. So, it only stands to reason that taken collectively, these wines cover Maremma’s stylistic spectrum, creating a virtual album of wines to mark all the days in the life of a family, from the modest to the grand, from the everyday Rosso dei Notri to the special occasion Redigaffi.





Despite the fact that the estate received perfect scores from the critics for both its 1997 and 2000 Redigaffis, little has changed since the first of these provocative and untamed wines threw open Tua Rita’s little cellar door to the world, sending Redigaffi far beyond its village. For one thing, production remains infinitesimally, maddeningly minute: There were only about 400 cases of the 2000 Redigaffi produced. In the 2005 vintage, production totaled 680 cases, of which a mere 50 to 100 cases will make it to the States.

2005 was a winemaker’s vintage, but it reached its pinnacle in the hands of Tua Rita and the Maremma zone. While other areas of Toscana were struggling with significant periods of rainfall during harvest, the Maremma experienced only sporadic showers, with drying facilitated by the area's warmer weather. And what about Tua Rita’s part in 2005? The 2005 Redigaffi derives from low-yielding, densely planted vines, a lengthy maceration period of 27 days, and a lavish new-barrique aging regimen of 12 to 16 months. The estate's rigorous cellar techniques in concert with the positioning of the vineyard helped raised dry extraction levels (the ratio of grape solids to juice, providing for enhanced concentration and texture) to a level higher than figures turned in by eminent estates such as Château Pétrus; in '05, that extract is particularly palpable. Given all that’s behind the 2005 Redigaffi, it’s no surprise that this vintage doesn't veer too wildly from its immediate predecessor, the product of what is widely considered to be a modern classic. It is sophisticated sensuality, an elixir of deeply writ black and blue fruits, incisive minerality, spices both savory and sweet, and the succulent influence of perfectly proportioned oak.

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(Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot)
An exemplar of the producer's philosophy and stylistic orientation, Giusto di Notri—named after the eponymous vineyard and the patron saint of Suvereto, San Giusto—is the estate flagship. But, like Redigaffi, Giusto di Notri has gone far beyond its immediate environs and become the foremost icon of the second generation of Super-Tuscans. While a Bordeaux-style blend, in ’05, Giusto isn’t Bordeaux-minded, nor is it blending to satisfy the whims of the vintage. It clearly thinks outside the vintage, harkening back, in effect, to its striking and complete ’04 performance. The classic nature of ’04 appears in Giusto’s layered flavor spectrum, capturing each individual varietal even though it initially seems too perfectly integrated to give individual attention to any one grape. But this wine does just that—particularly in the signature herbaceous contribution of Cabernet Franc, enhanced by notions of pencil lead and violets. Coming in under the 2,000-case mark in ’05, this vintage is a model Giusto. The product of a first-growth Tuscan estate, it pleases the palate now while promising the collector rewards to come.




(Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon)
It started its career as pure Sangiovese, and it showed well for itself by capturing the grape in rare, extroverted form. Though a powerhouse without the assistance of the international set, Perlato got off the monovarietal track and brought in some Cabernet Sauvignon for the 2003 vintage. Now a few vintages into its role as a blend, Perlato hasn’t looked back, least of all in ’05, which shifts from the high-powered ’04 model into a suave, streamlined style, artfully driven by persuasive, delineated aromatics. The Cabernet, as you might expect, doesn’t just go along for the ride here—flavors of cassis weave this wine in and out of Sangiovese’s red fruit spectrum, amplifying the wine’s body, while a penetrating minerality drives straight through the middle. A mere 1,250 cases were produced of this perfect-for-the-weekend entertainment wine.





(Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon)
Often considered an introduction to the house style, Rosso dei Notri may be Tua Rita’s everyday wine, but there’s nothing elementary or textbook about Notri’s vivacious and bold persona nor, for that matter, its surprisingly modest production level—3,500 cases. Sangiovese takes the lead here and for good reason: Tua Rita’s famed consulting enologist, Stefano Chioccioli, favors Sangiovese and believes that the variety has truly come into its own with Toscana’s maturation. You’ll sense that preference and development here in the wine’s sublime texture and density. This is no light and easy quaffer that gets you in the doorway of this famed estate. This wine takes you all the way into the heart of Tua Rita’s passionate and inspiring story, and what’s more, it provides an irresistible preview of the quality of the highly anticipated 2006 vintage. Sourced from proprietor Stefano Frascolla’s (the son-in-law of Rita Tua and Virgilio Bisti) tiny 6.5-acre estate (which he purchased in 1997), this Notri carries all the spirit of an entertainer in a daily pour.

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Over the last several years, Toscana has emerged as a bastion of high-calibre Merlot, the focus of our above discussion. Foremost among these names is Masseto, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia’s monovarietal Merlot. Despite having debuted only in the 1986 vintage, Masseto is working on establishing the epic mystique of the storied Château Pétrus. The simple fact is that Masseto’s past—however recent—provides just as compelling a testament to the wine's splendor as the genesis of Pétrus.

First of all, there’s the terroir, or in this case, the territorio. Like its French counterpart, Masseto is derived from soils that are predominantly clay, Merlot’s preferred conduit. It also derives from highly selective plots, Masseto’s eponymous cru (16 acres) and the minute Vina Vecchia plot (1 acre). The distinct ground constituting the Masseto Vineyard is further demarcated into three distinct sections, each of which contributes a unique dimension to the finished wine: Masseto Junior provides the base; Masseto Medio or Centrale contributes tannins and strength; and Masseto Alto imbues the wine with its aromatic signature. Both Pètrus and Masseto are known for a meticulous approach to viticulture, and Masseto’s is captured most arrestingly, perhaps, in its treatment of those three plots: Each is harvested at a different stage, an approach that is fundamental to the development of Masseto’s character, as are the varying ages of the vines.

Lastly, there’s the Merlot. The legend of Pétrus was essentially born through Jean-Pierre Moueix's passion for the wines of St-Émilion and Pomerol and rooted in the special affinity he perceived between Merlot and the land. Likewise when we speak of Masseto, we invariably reference Lodovico Antinori, but the fact is that there’s another eminent figure in this tale of territorio—André Tchelistcheff, one of the patriarchs of California Cabernet Sauvignon. It was Tchelistcheff who convinced Lodovico to establish a plot dedicated to Merlot. Pétrus may have more vintages in its history, but an innate cachet—a genetic makeup, if you will—accounts for why Jean-François Moueix regards them as twins. The 2001 and 2004 listed above are among the great vintages designed for longevity, but herein we present some magnum selections with age that deliver on the promise of that special plot.












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