~ Three generations of the Fossacolle; Stefano Bambagioni, Sergio Marchetti and Adriano Bambagioni ~
The Bambagioni family tends to their small 4 hectare farm in southern Tuscany near the village of Tavernelle. Since 1997, the Fossacolle estate has been crafting wonderful Sangiovese based wines. I’ve enjoyed the their wines for years; from this wonderful 2010 Brunello, to the most recent 2015 offering. Today, I’m looking at the estate’s most recent release and it’s a bit of a stumble.
The 2018 growing season started out calmly with a moderate winter followed by ample amounts of rain during the Spring. Although initial concerns about fungus and rot were widespread, that didn’t materialize. Those rains would provide much needed reserves because as Summer began, temperatures rose into the triple digits for several weeks.
~ Fossacolle utilizes various size barrels in producing their Sangiovese wines ~
The 2018 Fossacolle Rosso di Montalcino shows some of the detrimental character of the vintage. The Sangiovese grapes are hand harvested and gently pressed before being fermented in stainless steel. Fossacolle’s youngest vines produce the fruit for their Rosso di Montalcino.
In the glass, the wine is a light violet color that is close to being transparent. Soft, subtle aromas include crushed berries, sandalwood and notes of alcohol. On the palate, the wine is light to medium bodied. The berry character is accented by soft wood notes, herbal character and hints of cured olive. It’s a nice Rosso that reminds very much of my earlier reviewed Piancornello. 86 points. Not yet released but you can ultimately use this link to Find this wine.
~ This is a nice wine in a challenging vintage. Drink in the near term ~
Salute!
