Regaleali Vigna San Francesco Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
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Winemaker Notes
Deep purple in color, aromas of red cherries and black fruits complement undertones of vanilla, black pepper, cinnamon, and mint. On the palate, it is silky, concentrated, elegant, and balanced with a persistent finish.
Pair this wine with roasted beef, mushroom sauces, roasted fennel-stuffed rabbit, and gravy-covered Yorkshire pudding.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Focused and opulent aromas of black cherries, strawberries, black olives and tobacco leaf to this complex and rich red. Full body, silky tannins and a linear and spicy finish. I like the power and, at the same time, the elegance here. Delicious now, but better in 2020.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Wow. Here is a seriously beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon from Sicily. Tasca Conti d'Almerita is long celebrated for its Cabernet Sauvignon wines, but this bottle is indeed something special. The 2015 Sicilia Cabernet Sauvignon Tenuta Regaleali Vigna San Francesco (aged in new oak for 18 months) shows plump and exuberant ripeness with dark blackberry and plum. Spice and sweet tobacco come in at the rear. This is a full-bodied red with a richly concentrated and generous disposition. This wine is open, immediate and intense. Hats off to this stunning creation. Some 30,000 bottles were produced. By the way, to avoid confusion, I will point out that this wine was previously known as the Sicilia Contea di Sclafani Cabernet Sauvignon Tenuta Regaleali. The label has now been modified to give more prominence to the single-vineyard, the Vigna San Francesco, where the fruit is sourced.
Rating: 95+
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2016-
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Robert
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The wines of Regaleali continue to grow in both quantity and quality thanks to the hard work and dedication of Count Giuseppe Tasca over the past 50 years. Today the winery is run by Lucio Tasca and his sons, Giuseppe and Alberto who are increasingly involved in management. Carlo Ferrini, one of Italy's most renown enologists, is makes the wines. In conjunction with the winery, Anna Tasca Lanza - Lucio's sister – also runs a highly regarded cooking school at the estate.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
A large, geographically and climatically diverse island, just off the toe of Italy, Sicily has long been recognized for its fortified Marsala wines. But it is also a wonderful source of diverse, high quality red and white wines. Steadily increasing in popularity over the past few decades, Italy’s fourth largest wine-producing region is finally receiving the accolades it deserves and shining in today's global market.
Though most think of the climate here as simply hot and dry, variations on this sun-drenched island range from cool Mediterranean along the coastlines to more extreme in its inland zones. Of particular note are the various microclimates of Europe's largest volcano, Mount Etna, where vineyards grow on drastically steep hillsides and varying aspects to the Ionian Sea. The more noteworthy red and white Sicilian wines that come from the volcanic soils of Mount Etna include Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio (reds) and Carricante (whites). All share a racy streak of minerality and, at their best, bear resemblance to their respective red and white Burgundies.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety, and is great either as single varietal bottling or in blends with other indigenous varieties or even with international ones. For example, Nero d'Avola is blended with the lighter and floral, Frappato grape, to create the elegant, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, one of the more traditional and respected Sicilian wines of the island.
Grillo and Inzolia, the grapes of Marsala, are also used to produce aromatic, crisp dry Sicilian white. Pantelleria, a subtropical island belonging to the province of Sicily, specializes in Moscato di Pantelleria, made from the variety locally known as Zibibbo.