Lodovico - Tenuta di Biserno - Antinori - Parker 96/100
Lodovico is de absolute topwijn van het domein Tenuta di Biserno. Lodovico is maar zeer beperkt beschikbar. Totaal zijn slechts 8.000 flessen geproduceerd. De wijn is samengesteld uit grotendeels Cabernet Franc, gevolgd door Merlot, en, in zeer kleine hoeveelheden Petit Verdot..
De wijngaarden hebben als belangrijkste grondsoort klei. De wijngaarden zijn gelegen tussen Bibbona en Bolgheri, nabij de Toscaanse kust. De stokken zijn aangeplant in 2002, met een dichtheid van 6500 wijnstokken per hectare (2361 / acre). Uit opgedane onderzoeken en ervaringen blijken de wijngaarden een uniek micro-klimaat te hebben voor de de productie van zeldzaam hoge kwaliteit van de Cabernet Franc en Merlot druif.
De oogst van de druiven vindt, volledig handmatig, plaats van midden september tot begin oktober.
De druiven worden na de pluk gesorteerd en zacht geperst. De gisting vindt plaats in roestvrijstalen vaten, gedurende drie tot vier weken, bij 28 ° C. Vervolgens ondergaat de wijn voor 50% de malolactische gisting, gedurende18 maanden, in nieuwe Frans eiken barriques. de andere 50% blijft in de stalen vaten. De verder rijping van de wijn vindt gedurende 18 maanden plaats in nieuwe Frans eiken barriques. Vervolgens wordt de wijn gebotteld om nog eens 12 maanden op de fles, in de kelders van het domein, door te ontwikkelen.
De wijnmaker van de Lodovico is Helena Lindberg. Zij wordt bijjgestaand door de befaamde wijnconsultant Michel Rolland.
Robert Parker: 96/100 punten
This is the headline wine from Lodovico Antinori's Tenuta di Biserno. The hot vintage 2017 Lodovico shows a rich and deeply saturated color with elegant tones of dark fruit, spice, rum cake, dried plum, jerky, charred meat and cured tobacco. Like the Biserno (which is also a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot), this special vineyard selection reveals slightly less depth and dimension in terms of mouthfeel. That more compact palate is a common feature of the 2017 vintage in which hard work and severe fruit selection was achieved in order to counter the jammy concentration of the berries. This remains a big wine, however, with the balanced and bright acidity that is a crucial indicator of the wine's undeniable quality and pedigree.
James Suckling: 95/100 punten
This has a polished nose of mulberries, cassis, cloves, cedar and lavender. It’s full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins. Plush and creamy with a velvety texture. Layered, rich and intense, with lingering spice and chocolate on a long finish. Very focused. Polished. Better after 2024.
Lodovico is a rare and unexpected assemblage, which forms the pinnacle of
our Biserno estate. We have long known that certain parcels of vineyard on
the estate are perfectly suited to the cultivation of Cabernet Franc, but we
only relatively recently discovered that within this micro-climate, there is one
particularly special area of vineyard, Vigna Lodovico, which yields remarkable
and very particular results. It became immediately clear to all involved that
this unique character and individual expression must be captured in one
single wine.
Lodovico is an extraordinary wine, which is made in extremely small quanti-
ties and available through exclusive wine merchants.
Classification: Indicazione Geografica Tipica di Toscana
Grapes: mostly Cabernet Franc with a very small quantity of Petit Verdot as
well as Merlot
Vineyards: soil type is part clay, part Bolgheri conglomerate. Vines were
planted in 2002. Training is cordone speronato (spurred cordon). Density is
6,500 vine stocks per hectare (2,361/acre).
Seasonal summary: 2017 was a warm and dry year for the region, from little
rainfall during winter to a summer with insignificant scattered millimetres of
rain during the four-month period from early May to early September.
We were fortunate in the sense that apart from the dry and warm to hot
conditions our vineyards escaped all damaging weather events.
We harvested the first merlot on the 18th of August which is two to three
weeks earlier than a “normal” year.
Relief from the drought came on the 10th of September with a good rainfall
which gave the later varieties Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot the boost
needed to complete the ripening process.
With attention to selection and reduction we were able to harvest grapes
with ripe fruit and a fine balance between alcohol, acidity and round tannins.
Harvest: mid of August to 26th September 2017.
Vinification: grapes are strictly sorted on a vibrating belt at the cellar. They
are then de-stemmed and soft crushed. Fermentation takes place in stainless
steel vats for 3 to 4 weeks at 28°C. 80% of the wine undergoes malolactic
fermentation in oak barrels, the remainder in stainless steel.
Ageing: the wine is aged for 16 months in 80% new French oak barriques and
the rest in one-year old barrels.
