Il Carnasciale 2023 Ottantadue Sangiovese

Overview

"The 2023 Ottantadue is an absolute delight. Bold and punchy, with gorgeous forward fruit, the 2023 is a tasty Sangiovese to drink now and over the next few years. A dollop of stems (20%) works so well here. There is a feeling of immediacy, of total pleasure, that is so palpable. Fermentation in cement and aging in steel keeps the flavors bright. Old school minimalism with modern-day precision. (Drink between 2025-2031)" -Vinous, 93VM

Founded in 1972 by German advertising executive Wolf Rogosky and his wife Bettina, Il Carnasciale was created when the couple decided to plant a vineyard at their recently purchased estate outside of Arezzo in the southeast corner of Chianti. In the 1980s Italy was reluctantly warming up to the idea of classifying Super-Tuscans, not coincidentally the Rogoskys' favorite blends, so they decided to plant Bordeaux vines on the property. And that's where the story gets interesting.

After working with renowned winemaking consultant Vittorio Fiore (Costanti, Caparzo and his own Poggio Scalette), they were introduced to agronomist Remigio Bordini, who proposed planting a radical and seemingly unknown grape varietal he had discovered in an abandoned vineyard (now lost) near Padua in Veneto. The grape had the aromatic complexity of Cabernet Franc and the soft, plush texture of Merlot, so with a mix of naivete and bravery, the Rogosky's said yes to planting it.

The first 3/4 acre high-density vineyard of this vine was planted in 1986 on the rocky, iron-rich clay and sandstone hillsides of their estate, and the bottling was naturally named Caberlot for its Cabernet Franc and Merlot profiles (for good luck, they planted a 1978 Sassicaia in the vineyard). They thought the wine was a natural genetic mutation of those two Right Bank varietals—a wine that would stump any somm at a blind tasting, but is it? That's where the story gets really interesting. Of the three old vine barrel samples we tasted with Marco in the photos above, two were the sort of funky, rustic and herbal Right Bank Cab Francs that enthusiasts die for, while the other was a dead-ringer for a legendary Pomerol. Adding to the mystery, the Caberlot remains the only wine in the world made from this mysterious clone, so only the Rogoskys know if it is indeed a mutation of both varietals, or a new clone of either Cab Franc or Merlot.

Regardless of its genus, the Caberlot became a culty watchword in Europe by the early 2000s, but remained a wine of potential elsewhere in the world. But that all changed in 2018 with the 30th anniversary release of the Il Carnasciale 2018 Caberlot, (100VM, 96JG), its first 100-point rating. This masterpiece proved the mysterious clone, site and team could all come together to match the vintage perfectly. Highly aromatic notes of cigar, truffle, mint and cassis are so balanced that Vinous' Antonio Galloni raved: "The bouquet alone is mesmerizing...imagine Cheval Blanc, but with a good dose of Tuscan sun. Readers who can find the 2018 should not hesitate [to buy], as it is magical." Even John Gilman, one of Burgundy's most respected wine critics, effusively praised the 2018 as "an absolute classic in the making...I love the sense of grace here...What a wine." Only released as a magnum in 2018, these wines are extremely rare, so we are excited to share three with you today.

Vintage	2023
Varietal	Sangiovese
Appellation	Arezzo
Vineyard	Il Carnasciale
Alcohol	13.00%
Volume	750 ml
Country of Origin	ITALY
Sparkling Wine	No

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Il Carnasciale 2023 Ottantadue Sangiovese

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