2013 LA CASTELLANA, Super Tuscan Blend
This La Castella wine is a bold, yet elegant, Super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese red wines. Our Lady of Castle will slowly reveal her secrets over the years.
Accolades
- 92 Points - Wine Enthusiast Magazine, James Laube – Intense, with firm, vibrant red and dark berry flavors amid currant, black cherry and licorice note, supported by smoky, cedary oak details and flinty, minerally elements. Ends crisp and lively. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese. Drink now through 2032. 2,928 cases made. J.L. (11/16)
- 92 Points - James Suckling – Very well done with firm tannins and a fresh and lively profile. Full body, cherry, walnut, and cedar. Hints of chocolate. Mostly cabernet sauvignon with merlot and sangiovese. Drink or hold.
- 92 Points - Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate - The 2013 Proprietary Red La Castellana is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Merlot. A real successful effort of this blend, the wine shows cedar wood, tobacco leaf, blackcurrants and ripe black cherry in a medium to full-bodied, lush, savory, complex style. Drink it over the next 5-8 years.
Acclaim for the 2013 Vintage
"2013 was a stunning vintage that produced absolutely remarkable wines – possibly even better than the magnificent 2012 ‘nearly perfect’ wines. Both growing seasons were dry and early ripening, which brought the fruit to full maturity while avoiding fall rains. The temperatures were on the cool side which retained excellent acidity and wonderful aging potential. The 2013 reds are complex and full-bodied, classic Napa Valley style."
- Brooks Painter, Director of Winemaking
*92 Points - Robert Parker*
Wine Specs
Vintage
2013
Varietal
72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 12% Sangiovese
Appellation
Napa Valley
Harvest Date
September 17 - October 21, 2013
Acid
6.1 g/L
pH
3.67
Aging
22 months in French oak barrels
Bottling Date
July 24, 2015
Residual Sugar
0.5 g/L
Alcohol %
14.8
Wine Enthusiast
92
Robert Parker
92
Wine Profile
Tasting Notes
Dark stone fruit, spices, red cherries, and floral notes are supported by silky, polished tannins. La Castellana is a harmonious blend that strikes a balance between power and elegance. Patience will be rewarded as La Castellana slowly reveals her secrets over the years.
Winemaker Notes
Our “Lady of the Castle” is a Super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese, with excellent long-term aging potential. Beginning in the late 1960s, a few winemakers in Tuscany attempted to make more complex red wines by planting the classic Bordeaux red grape varieties. While they experimented with these wines as separate varietal blends excluding the regional variety, Sangiovese, they also tried omitting the small amount of the white variety “Malvasia bianca” traditionally added to Sangiovese to produce “Chianti Classico” in lieu of a blend with Bordeaux varietals (namely, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot). The term "Super Tuscan" describes a red wine made in this new style. Aromatic and intense, these wines have a character all their own. Italian examples of the Bordeaux reds from this region are Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and Tignanello, now some of the most revered wines in the world. Examples of Italian Bordeaux/Sangiovese blends are Guidalberto and Le Volte. La Castellana is similar in style to these wines.
Food Pairing Notes
This elegant "Super Tuscan" wine goes well with lamb, sausage, grilled steak, Venison or a great pasta dish such as Pappardelle with wild boar (Dario's favorite).
Production
2928 cases
Product Reviews
Jeffrey
(Dec 21, 2017 at 11:31 AM)
My wife and I sampled this when we took the tour, we then bought a bottle to return with us to Georgia, and I've order a case online since then. Obviously, we love it!!!
Andy O'
(May 8, 2019 at 11:18 PM)
Recently tasted & loved it. One comment to add the raters' reviews was that of the wine's smoothness on the pallet as it flowed down my throat. Loved it so much that I purchased a magnum. Yum !
Bret Hermone
(Jan 4, 2020 at 3:32 PM)
My wife and I enjoy going tasting at the castle. the employees are very nice and professional. We also are in your wine club
Fred
(Mar 18, 2020 at 12:50 PM)
MMMmmmMMMMMMMMM so good and tasty!
William Owens
(Nov 14, 2020 at 4:28 PM)
It's Nov 2020 and we just opened the 2013 La Castellana Super Tuscan and it did not disappoint! Explosion of favor right out the gate!! Yummy!
Rebecca Vause
(Feb 1, 2021 at 5:31 PM)
This was a gift and it was the BEST wine I have ever had!!
