Qty	Item	Description	Price	Total
	Subtotal	$0.00

2014 LA CASTELLANA, Super Tuscan Blend

Our “Lady of the Castle” is a Super Tuscan blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese, with excellent long-term aging potential. 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. 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). Patience will be rewarded as La Castellana slowly reveals her secrets over the years.

ACCOLADES

• 92 Points - James Suckling

"Very attractive aromas of plums and red wood with hints of wet earth follow through to a full body, a solid core of fruit and a velvety and caressing texture. Give it two to three years to come together. A Bordeaux blend with 15% Sangiovese. Fun and delicious."

• San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (Gold Medal)

"The 2021 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition had over forty-eight judges, representing various North American wine regions, evaluating nearly 5,700 wines from over 1,000 wineries."

1 Review(s)

*92 Points - James Suckling*

Wine Specs

Vintage

2014

Varietal

65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 15% Sangiovese, 2% Petite Verdot, 2% Malbec

Appellation

Napa Valley

Harvest Date

9/11/14 - 10/13/14

Acid

6.2 g/L

3.71

Aging

18 months Bordeaux French Oak, 60% New Oak

Fermentation

Malolactic Fermentation

Bottling Date

6/30/2016

Residual Sugar

0.8 g/L

Alcohol %

14.8

Wine Spectator

Robert Parker

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.

Ratings

• James Suckling (92 Points) – Very attractive aromas of plums and red wood with hints of wet earth follow through to a full body, a solid core of fruit and a velvety and caressing texture. Give it two to three years to come together. A Bordeaux blend with 15% Sangiovese. Fun and delicious.

Awards

GOLD MEDAL - 2020 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Production Notes

The 2014 Napa Valley wine grape harvest was a year of exceptional quality. The winter was one of the driest on record in Napa Valley, with approximately half of the normal rainfall. However, rains in late February and early March provided water to the vines just as they were beginning bud break. The spring was warm and berry sizes were smaller and with more concentrated flavors, and the overal quality, depth of flavor, and excellent balance and maturity in the grapes bodes well for the vintage. - Brooks Painter, Director of Winemaking

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).

Product Reviews

Lauren

(Jan 15, 2020 at 8:05 PM)

My husband HATES wines. He hates the drying tannins and the boldness of most wines. I’m not a huge reds fan either. When we tried this wine he literally just said “wow,,, that’s really good.” This wine is a rich and smooth red that is not very dry. You get really nice aromatics and bold berry flavors without the kick of the bitter tannins at the finish. If tannins are your thing this wine is not for you. But if you want a nice wine to pair with a curry or a roasted brisket dish this is good one for you. We will order again 100%.