Winemaker Notes
Very intense, almost impenetrable, clear ruby red color. Aromas of ripe fruit, embellished with elegant hints of tobacco, chocolate and sweet spices. On the palate it expresses a powerful structure but also, with a measured balance, soft fruit against the round and mature tannins. The finish is long and fruity. It goes well with red meat and game, extra mature cheeses and quality cured meats.
Blend:70% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Wonderfully complex aromas that are rich with dried-cherry, floral and orange-peel character. Full-bodied, dense and layered with lots of ripe tannins and a fresh finish.
-
Wine Spectator
The cherry, black currant and blackberry fruit shows fine purity, with a supple texture and harmony allowing this to hit all the right notes. Exhibits tension and a linear profile, lingering with echoing fruit, accented by wild herb and tobacco elements. Drink now through 2030.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The Piaggia 2016 Carmignano Riserva Mauro Vannucci is a pretty expression with a distinctively Tuscan personality. This Carmignano blend sees about 70% Sangiovese with smaller parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. You can taste the sunshine in the dark fruit of the wine and make out some of the salty tones that lift off the Tyrrhenian Sea not too far away. However, this territory is inland and protected from cold winds and bad weather. The dark fruit flavors are locked in tight. Blackberry and plum are enriched with evident oak spice and cinnamon. The spice doesn't take center stage, but it could retreat further to reveal more of the pleasant fruit below.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
With recorded history of red wine production since the Middle Ages, Carmignano is a small, ancient, central Italian subregion ten miles northwest of Florence. Carmignano grows Sangiovese with great success in low-lying hills of 160 to 650 feet above sea level.
It is the only Tuscan DOC that required the inclusion of (up to 20%) Cabernet Sauvignon in its Sangiovese-based wines years before it became popular in the Super Tuscan blends.