VINTAGE
2012

APPELLATION
Maremma Toscana IGT

AREA
Roccastrada, Maremma

GRAPES
45% Petit Verdot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, and 15% Merlot

TASTING DESCRIPTORS
Rocca di Montemassi is an intense, ruby red with vivid garnet reflections. The nose is complex and reveals cherry, plum, and currant with notes of violet, eucalyptus, vanilla, and sweet tobacco. The palate has a rich presence of elegant, fresh fruit with full and plush tannins, leading to a long and mineral-rich finish, showing spicy, toasted notes.

VINTAGE
Cool temperatures and a substantial amount of rainfall until mid-July characterize 2012; these elements helped the vines to grow fresh, optimum grapes. During the summer months – August in particular – the temperatures rose to the highest experienced in ten years, and were carried along by the strong and hot Scirocco wind from North Africa. The exceptionally high temperatures accelerated the ripening process of the grapes, requiring an earlier-than-expected harvest.

VINEYARDS
From experience, we know early harvests are preferred for Petit Verdot and Syrah, which together truly characterize the blend. The blend is further enriched by Cabernet Sauvignon and a marginal amount of Merlot, giving this wine its great aromatic complexity, a must for this wine to be classified among the noble international wines. The vines for this wine are espalier arranged with Guyot pruning for Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot varieties; Spurred Cordon is used for the Syrah variety. The green management is imperative and carried out by hand, with meticulous care and special attention paid to leaf stripping, tipping, and thinning of the grapes.

WINEMAKER'S NOTES
"The 2012 Rocca di Montemassi, whose name comes from the name of our winery, is celebrated for its floral and red fruit aromas, as well as its undertones of dark mature fruit and balsamic. The wine offers good acidity, strength, and intensity, and the tannins are sweet, forgiving, and smooth. The most unique aspect of Rocca di Montemassi 2012 is its softness, velvetiness, and its volume. It is aged for one year in tonneau, where half of the wine is aged in new oak, while the other half may see second- or third-year oak. I taste each, and then decide which portions to blend. However, it is my opinion, that this wine is the true essence of excellence. Four grape varietals can produce one bottle of wine, and its taste captures the sunshine, wind, and terroir in that bottle. The greatest pleasure, however, is being able to enjoy it." - Winemaker, Federico Giovannetti

SERVING TEMPERATURE
61°F - 64°F

ALCOHOL LEVEL
14%

BOTTLE SIZE
750 mL