2019 Castello del Terriccio - Toscana Rosso IGT Tassinaia (750ml)

Castello del Terriccio sits in Castellina Marittima, in the province of Pisa, on a roughly 1,500-hectare estate whose viticultural roots trace back to the Etruscans, who dominated this stretch of Tuscany between the eighth and fifth centuries BC. The medieval ruins of the Castello di Doglia, known as del Terriccio, still stand atop the estate's hills, originally serving as a watchtower for spotting enemy ships along the coast. Today around 65 hectares are planted to vine, producing the estate's well-known Super Tuscan-style wines.

Tassinaia takes its name from "Le Tassinaie," a farmhouse on one of the estate's hills whose name translates roughly to "the place of stones," reflecting the abundant rock in the vineyard soils. The wine is an almost equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, hand harvested starting in late August for the Merlot and continuing into September for the Cabernet, grown at 100 to 300 meters with south/southwest exposure. After fermentation in temperature-controlled steel with roughly two weeks of maceration, the wine ages 16 to 18 months in French oak barriques, part of it previously used.

The 2019 shows a deep purple-red color, with an elegant nose of dark berries, sour cherry, soft spice, vanilla, and Mediterranean scrubland herbs. On the palate it's structured yet polished, with well-integrated tannins and a long, balanced finish. It pairs beautifully with grilled red meat, game, or aged cheeses.