2019 Vigna l'Apparita
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Tasting Notes
The 2019 L’Apparita has classic opulent Merlot character with milk chocolate, rich plum fruit and violet floral aromas. There is fantastic breadth on the palate. It is juicy, unctuously rich but refined. The tannins remain tight-knit and beautifully layered, building on the palate. There is real intensity and power too. This Merlot has a great backbone of acidity which brings beautiful balance. While already seductive, the concentration of tannins will require a few years to fully integrate and should be approached after five years in bottle. It will drink well for at least another 10 to 15 years.
Critic Scores
Average Score
Monica Larner, Wine Advocate
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
One of the stars of Italian enology, this iconic wine is Merlot in name but Tuscan in spirit. The L'Apparita is a gorgeous wine and one that brings an enormous sense of excitement and energy to those who drink it. Its texture is soft and rich, yet the tannins are gentle and round. There is plenty of substance and structure here, however, with seamless layers of black fruit, cherry, sweet spice and tobacco. The wine's complexity is enhanced by elegant mineral tones and a subtle, menthol-like signature. Temperature control and careful pump-overs are executed, and great care is taken during harvest to avoid any overripe berries. Cool, calcareous soils with many stones serve to insulate the roots and lock in freshness. The secret of this wine is magic of site, exposure and geology. This is another collectors' edition of L'Apparita.
Enticing aromas of blackberries and violets with some fresh black olives. Fresh violets as well. Full-bodied and very rich and layered with velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Lingering flavors of dark chocolate in the finish. Powerful merlot here. Drink after 2026.
The 2019 L'Apparita is incredibly powerful in this vintage. Huge searing tannins wrap around a core of dark-fleshed fruit. Incense, tobacco, chocolate, mocha, lavender and spice open, but only reluctantly. Whereas most 2019s in the Ama range are quite inviting at this stage, L'Apparita is a wine for the cellar. In other words, the 2019 is a tight, backward Apparita that demands patience.
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About the producer
Castello di Ama is one of the pre-eminent estates in Chianti Classico. Situated in the southern-most district of the appellation, the estate has only been making wine since the late 1970s but has since built a reputation as one of the region’s best.