Tenuta Monteti was founded in 1998 by Gemma and Paolo Baratta in the southern Maremma area of Tuscany. The couple returned to wine after having been in the business in their youth. The estate was named for the Monteti hill, which protects it from the strong Mediterranean winds.
They built from the ground up, starting from scratch with vines of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Alicante Bouschet grapes. The IGT Toscana classification allows them the freedom to choose the grapes they want to grow. Consulting oenologist Carlo Ferrini has been with them from the beginning, and now their daughter Eva is in her second decade of running the show with her husband Javier Pedrazzini. The vineyards are managed in sustainable fashion, and they have the government certificate to prove it.
Monteti, their flagship wine, is a blend of 40 to 55% Petit Verdot, 25 to 30% Cabernet Franc and 15 to 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The percentages varying from vintage to vintage. The wine is aged for 18 months in medium-toasted French oak barriques, 70% of which are new, followed by another two years in the bottle. They say the Petit Verdot is the personality of the wine, "the rebel horse," while the Cabernet Sauvignon brings structure and longevity. The Cabernet Franc provides an elegance which softens both. Alcohol sits at 14.5% abv and the Monteti has averaged through the years at a price of $36.
This wine carries a dark ruby color and a nose of dark fruit, blueberries and blackberries mostly. There are also aromas of mocha, white pepper and oak spice to be found. The palate displays the blueberry flavor, and a lip-smacking acidity which really feels refreshing. It feels a touch light in the mouth, despite having spent a year and a half in oak. The tannins are firm but not overwhelming - there is plenty there to work on a steak, a rack of lamb or a pasta dish with meat sauce - or a mushroom risotto, for that matter.
The Caiarossa company logo is an Etruscan clay head of the Greek god of wine, Dionysus, dating from the fourth century B.C. The winery's story dates back only as far as 1998. In 2004 the estate was bought by Eric Albada Jelgersma, who brought with him the experience of creating wines in two Grand Cru vineyards in the Margaux neck of the Bordeaux woods, Château Giscours and Château du Tertre.
Caiarossa is located near the Tuscany coast, in the southern part of the Province of Pisa. The vineyards are biodynamic and certified organic, and winemaker Lorenzo Pasquini is charged not only with making the juice, but also with cask selection.
The 2016 Aria di Caiarossa is an IGT Toscano Rosso wine made from the noble grapes Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was fermented in concrete tanks, then aged for 14 months in 15% new wood barriques and tonneaux, then back into the concrete for six months before being bottled. Alcohol is 14% abv and the average cost of a bottle is about $30.
This dark wine has fruit aromas to match - blackberries, currant, black cherry - and I love the way those smells power past the oak effect. The oak has indeed left its mark, with vanilla, cedar, tobacco and a hint of tar on the nose. The palate shows vibrant fruit and earthy notes, with a healthy dose of tannic strength and a racy acidity. I'm having it with chicken Dijonnaise, but thinking of a pork chop to pair with it.
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