To finish up my look at the wines of Tuscany here is my final wine, a pure Cabernet Franc from a single exceptional site in the hills above Donaratico, this is Tenuta Argentiera’s Ventaglio Toscana IGT 2020, a wine aiming to be the epitome of Bolgheri Cabernet Franc. A cleanly made modern wine this shows all the positive features that Cabernet Sauvignn brings to a blend, its perfume, its fresh acidity and fine structure – all of which help bring elegance to a finished wine.
N.B. Sorry at 2:05 I say the estate was established in 1991, it was actually established in 1999.
Tenuta Argentiera Bolgheri is an Italian wine producer situated in Bolgheri on Tuscany’s southern coastline. The 183-hectare estate produces a collection of wines that blend Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot amongst others under the Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore and Toscana IGT classifications.
The Tenuta Argentiera Bolgheri estate is located on plateau, overlooking the Tyrrhenian sea. An altitude of 200 meters above sea level creates a favourable microclimate, allowing sea breezes to penetrate the canopy and reduce the risk of mildew. The name Argentiera commemorates the mumerous small the silver (“argento”) mines that were once scattered throughout the nearby landcape.
The estate’s main focus are its Bolgheri Superiore and Bolgheri Rosso wines. The flagship Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore is a blend typically of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a small portion of Cabernet Franc in the blend.
To find out more about this wine, its price and where to purchase it go to wine-searcher.com: https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/tenute+argentiera+ventaglio+tuscany+igp+italy/2020?referring_site=DCA
▶️ CHAPTERS:
0:00 Tenuta Argentiera Ventaglio Toscana IGT 2020 wine label
0:30 This wine is an example of the characteristics of Cabernet Franc
0:40 Is a pure Cabernet Franc from an exceptional single vineyard
0:50 Reason why the site is called Ventaglio (fan)
1:00 Location of Tenuta Argentiera
1:15 Size of Tenuta Argentiera
1:25 Make wines under the Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore and Toscana IGT designations
1:37 Size and location of the estate’s vineyards
1:49 Effects of altitude and proximity to the sea on the climate
2:05 Estate established in 1999 by the Fratini family in partnership with Piero Antinori
2:17 Property was originally part of the ancient Donoratico estate
2:27 Fratini family sold the estate to Stanislaus Turnauer in 2016
2:54 Estate is named after small silver mines found in the nearby hills
3:08 Estate is surrounded by the biodiversity of Mediterranean scrub and forests
3:23 Sea breezes and diurnal temperature variations help retain aromas and acids in the fruit
3:34 The amphitheater-like shape of the hills aids sunlight inception
3:50 Ventaglio is the smallest of 4 areas of vineyard on the estate
4:08 Aims to be the epitome of Bolgheri Cabernet Franc
4:18 Altitude of the Ventaglio vineyards
4:33 Varying exposures
4:45 Soils
4:55 Planting density and yields
5:05 Production levels
5:15 2020 vintage
5:59 Harvest dates
6:17 WINEMAKING – hand picked into shallow cages
6:27 Fruit sorted twice on sorting tables
6:38 Fruit goes as whole berries into truncated-conical oak fermenters
6.59 Extraction managed by alternating pump-overs and push-downs
7:11 Fermentation temperatures were kept at 28-30 degrees C
7:21 Maceration lasts 25 days
7:32 Run into 225 litre barriques and 500 litre tonneaux for malolactic conversion
7:45 Aged in barrel for 44 months
7:51 Ages in bottle for 3 years prior to release
7:56 TASTING – Appearance
8:25 Aromas
9:23 Palate
11:36 Style is age-worthy
12:04 Conclusions
12:23 Score
12:53 Price is high
13:21 It is concerning that a wine aiming to be made sustainably has such a heavy bottle
13:57 Would be interested to try with greater bottle age
14:07 Thanks, closing remarks and sign-off
▶️ To view my video tasting of Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 2023, follow this link: https://youtu.be/BI9VagzQUw0
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