“This land is my choice of life, as making wine has always been my profession….”
Since she was 20 years old, Elisabetta Geppetti, a fiery redhead with passion and youthful energy to match, knew that she wanted to make wine at her family estate. After a remakable 30 year career she has created one of the most significant wine estates in the Maremma and has been instrumental in bringing the recognition so deserved to this winemaking region along the Tuscan coast.
Since 1992 she has served as President of the Morellino di Scansano Consortium; the first woman to serve as head of any Consortium in Italy. She has earned the title of how many refer to her: The Ambassador of Maremma.
The heart of the Le Pupille Estate revolves around two of the greatest vineyards in Maremma; Saffredi and Poggio Valente. The former is a small 5 hectare vineyard that was originally conceived and planted in 1987 with the help of the renowned consultant Giacomo Tachis. The Poggio Valente vineyard was replanted in 1996 and the 14 hectares of Sangiovese planted there generate grapes that give amazingly full bodied, luscious wines.
Today, with a mindful remembrance of Giacomo Tachis, who passed away over the weekend, we are focusing on one of the wines he no doubt influenced: Poggio Valente.
The 2007 Le Pupille Poggio Valente Riserva is a massively constructed Sangiovese – i.e. Morellino di Scansano, as the locals refer to the clone of Sangiovese in the area. A small portion of Merlot completes the blend. In the glass, this wine is dark blackish red – almost difficult to see through. The aromas are dominated by chestnut, musk, black cherry, tobacco and mushroom. On the palate, the wine is massive with ripe cherry, roasted espresso bean, cedar, and pipe tobacco. The tannins are resolved nicely and the acidity keeps this ripe wine fresh. Huge amounts of sediment were thrown from the bottle. Poggio Valente is vinified in stainless steel and then aged in a combination of French barrique and tonneaux. Showing well now, but you can easily continue to cellar this massive Sangiovese. 93 points, about $40 retail.
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~ Impenetrable color to this Sangiovese ~ |
Buon Lunedi!