Castello del Terriccio Con Vento Sauvignon Blanc 2014
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The Castello del Terriccio (Castle of the land) dates back roughly 1000 years. The modern history of the estate begins after World War I, when it was acquired by Count Serrafini Ferri, whose family still owns the property. In the 1920s the Serrafini Ferris' implemented major improvements to the property. This family laid the groundwork for the estate that remains more or less unchanged today.
Up to the 1970s the estate was known mainly for production of grain, it even held the European record for production of second harvest corn. This specialization in grain continues today but also in the organic production of spelt (dinkel wheat), corn, forage and olive groves – but this has been overshadowed in recent times by the estate's expertise and reputation for viticulture and the production of fine wines. It expanded from 25 hectares of vineyards (62 acres) in 1980 to 60 hectares (148 acres) today.
Cultivation of vines in this area dates originally back to the Etruscans, after which it was abandoned and then begun again. At the end of the 1980s a new phase of viticulture started, with the aim of fully exploiting the potential of the land for production of vines. Today vines are cultivated under IGT- Indicazione Geografica Tipica.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
One of the most iconic Italian regions for wine, scenery and history, Tuscany is the world’s most important outpost for the Sangiovese grape. Tuscan wine ranges in style from fruity and simple to complex and age-worthy, Sangiovese makes up a significant percentage of plantings here, with the white Trebbiano Toscano coming in second.
Within Tuscany, many esteemed wines have their own respective sub-zones, including Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The climate is Mediterranean and the topography consists mostly of picturesque rolling hills, scattered with vineyards.
Sangiovese at its simplest produces straightforward pizza-friendly Tuscan wines with bright and juicy red fruit, but at its best it shows remarkable complexity and ageability. Top-quality Sangiovese-based wines can be expressive of a range of characteristics such as sour cherry, balsamic, dried herbs, leather, fresh earth, dried flowers, anise and tobacco. Brunello, an exceptionally bold Tuscan wine, expresses well the particularities of vintage variations and is thus popular among collectors. Chianti is associated with tangy and food-friendly dry wines at various price points. A more recent phenomenon as of the 1970s is the “Super Tuscan”—a red wine made from international grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, with or without Sangiovese. These are common in Tuscany’s coastal regions like Bolgheri, Val di Cornia, Carmignano and the island of Elba.