Montepeloso 2020 'Eneo' Costa Toscana IGT

Montepeloso 2020 'Eneo' Costa Toscana IGT

Item Number: 18076

UPC: 0-815508012390

Country: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Sub Region: Tuscany
Appellation/AVA: Toscana IGT
Estate Grown Wine: Yes
Vintage: 2020
Grape(s): 65% Sangiovese / 25% Cabernet Sauvignon / 10% Malvasia Nera
Type: Wine - Red
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Pack: 12
Closure: Cork
Alc by Vol(%): 15
Viticulture: Practicing Organic
Soil Type: Lime-rich petrified clay & silex
Elevation: 50-100 meters
Case Production: 2500

Winemaking Notes: Grapes are harvested by hand from vines aged between 12 and 50 years old. Spontaneous fermentation occurs in a temperature-controlled vat. Maceration lasts for 10-25 days on the skins, depending on the grape variety. Malolactic fermentation occurs in used French barriques. The wine ages for 8-10 months in 2nd and 3rd passage barrels and another 12 months in bottle before release. 

Tasting Notes: The nose is opulent and intense with a predominance of black fruits and spicy notes. The pronounced minerality is accompanied by toasty aromas of hardwood and spices. The texture is silky and balanced. Pair the Montepeloso Eneo with grilled meat, aged cheeses and pasta. 

Terroir Notes: Tucked away in the hills of Suvereto near Bolgheri on the Tuscan Coast is the 30-hectare Montepeloso estate of which 14 hectares are planted to vines. Fabio Chiarelotto purchased the estate of Montepeloso in 1998, after years working in academia as an historian. While the estate had achieved fame under the former owners, Chiarelotto believed it held the potential to take quality even higher. Looking to the future, Chiarelotto decided to drastically restructure (i.e., cut back) the vines in early 1999. As the estate emerged from those changes, his healthier vineyards and understanding of the wines has positioned this estate to achieve even great renown. Chiarelotto’s focus is to shape coastal Tuscan wine with local varieties. 

In Suvereto, the influences of land and sea interact. The thermal currents generated by a combination of strong solar radiation and local ground conditions, as well as the constant ventilation from coastal winds, exert a welcome cooling effect on the grapes. Despite the Tuscan sun, there is a freshness in the air, which is also apparent in the pronounced salinity of the wines. The strongly mineral composition of the soils in the Colline Metallifere area and the spicy notes of the Mediterranean macchia have a seminal influence on the wines, endowing them with lightness and a distinctive local character. The soil of Montepeloso is rich in minerals, characterized by the silex typical of the area and the scaly Scaglia Toscana (fossilized clay).

Reviews

  • The Wine Advocate
    Rating: 93 (6/22/2023)
    This is a blend of 65% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Malvasia Nera from a warm vintage. The 2020 Eneo doesn't have the same pulp and mass that we see in the 2019 vintage; however, it does show lots of richness and intensity, especially in terms of bouquet. Perhaps the aromas are more focused and sharp in this wine, and there is a pretty mineral note that cuts a through line connecting the bouquet to the medium to full-bodied mouthfeel.
  • Vinous
    Rating: 93 (8/1/2023)

    The 2020 Eneo is bright and effusive, with notable aromatic presence but perhaps a bit less textural intensity than most years. That will make it easy to drink with minimal cellaring. Red cherry fruit, blood orange, mint, cinnamon and a hint of cedar linger.