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| Uccelliera’s Owners: Andrea & Paola Cortonesi |
The Uccelliera farm is a tiny azienda tucked away south of Montalcino, near Castelnuovo dell’Abate. The 6 hectares of vines are impeccably maintained by owner Andrea Cortonesi. Through green harvesting and utmost respect for the centuries old tradition of his land, Andrea produces authentic Tuscan wine.
He is ever humble and displays a keen “one-ness” with nature, personified by this quote. “Next to the residence I have left a half-hectare olive grove, which might seem odd, seeing that the plot would be more valuable planted with grapes. But the land has its way of reminding us that to ask too much of it is to somehow lower the quality of one’s life. Just being able to dine outdoors in the evening, by this olive grove, gazing out over the vines, without necessarily thinking of the needs of the vineyard, is a precious thing.”
This awareness is evident in Uccelliera’s Rapace. “The Raptor” is a wonderful Tuscan red that is a blend of predominantly Sangiovese and Merlot; a combination which is a perfect marriage.
The 2010 Rapace is a gorgeous deep purple color. The nose is effusive with fresh cut flowers, warm Tuscan clay, dark berries and tobacco. It’s very pretty to smell. However, it’s on the palate where the wine exerts it’s greatest attributes. There is a huge core of dusty, silky dark fruits that are very sensual. Combining in harmony are notes of olive, dried herbs, sweet pipe tobacco and dusty clay. There’s a slight vanilla spice on the finish. This is delicious wine and paired well with a variety of foods. It’s not cheap, but at around $28 US, it’s definitely worth having a few in the cellar. Dare I say it overperforms for the price? There, I just did… 93 points and clearly a great harbinger of the excellence of the 2010 vintage in Montalcino.
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| ~ Rapace is a blend of 70% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, & 10% Cabernet ~ |
Allora….
John, every detail seems so fine-tuned, from the color, aroma, palate, finish, and even the label; Bella!