2017 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Super Tuscan Mormoreto IGT Toscana

JS95 A big, rich red with blackberry, chocolate and walnut aromas and flavors. It’s full and layered. Just a baby. Reflects the ripeness of the vintage, yet shows energy. Better after 2022.
Estate Notes: Mormoreto 2017 is warm, enveloping and enigmatic, like the season that produced it. It boasts an intense yet clear ruby- red colour that is beautifully rich and concentrated. It is pleasantly fresh with a bouquet that hints of blackberries, blueberries and raspberries. On the palate, balsamic and minty notes balance out beautifully with hints of bergamot and jasmine. Spicy notes of clove and vanilla are just around the corner. Tertiary aromas of tobacco, cocoa powder and coffee bean are remarkably well-integrated. The taste is smooth yet wonderfully fresh, with silky, well-rounded tannins. The finish is long and persistent. 

From Lamberto Frescobaldi: When walking along the rows of Cabernet and Petit Verdot, I always think back to 150 years ago when my ancestors first planted these varieties and dreamed of producing a great wine. That dream came true in 1983, thanks to my uncle Leonardo’s endeavour, with the Mormoreto Cru, a wine of vibrant, deep, harmonious character. From 2013 the addition of a small quantity of Sangiovese increased its elegance even further.
 
Mormoreto is a wine produced in the historic Castello di Nipozzano property. The castle dating back to 1000 close to the Tuscan Appenines. Nipozzano Castle is situated in the heart of the prestigious Chianti Rufina territory, on the mountain slope overlooking the Arno river valley.
 
The ancient defensive stronghold of Florence from the year 1000, the Castello Nipozzano is the most celebrated and historic property of the Frescobaldi family. According to popular belief Nipozzano means “without a well” – testimony to the area’s lack of water and ideal circumstances for the cultivation of grapevines. The first documentation about the renowned wines of Nipozzano dates from the Renaissance when great artists such as Donatello and Michelozzo Michelozzi regularly purchased wine from the estate.
 
A unique feature of the territory is attributed to the foresight of an ancestor of the Frescobaldi family who, in 1855 invested 1,000 florins to begin the cultivation of varieties previously unknown in Tuscany such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. After more than a century of patient care, these magnificent vines produce the great wine of the estate, Mormoreto.

Grapes from the Mormoreto vineyard were harvested by hand with 15 kg crates. After initial sorting in the vineyard, the bunches were carefully selected upon arrival in the cellar. This close attention to detail guaranteed the best possible quality. The 2017 harvest produced richly concentrated grapes. To optimise aromatic and phenolic extraction, fermentation and maceration were carefully carried out at low, controlled temperatures with fewer pump-overs. Malolactic fermentation was early and took place immediately after racking. At the end of the year, the Mormoreto began ageing in French oak barriques, where it remained for the next two years, taking full advantage of the natural micro- oxygenation facilitated by the wood. After bottling, the subsequent months-long ageing period enabled the Mormoreto to develop balance, resulting in an elegant wine able to fulfil every ounce of its potential.