Winemaker Notes
Il Pino shows an intense nose with ripe fruit and some spicy notes. The oak is well integrated and adds complexity and balance to the fruit. The wine is medium to full bodied with ripe tannins, fine acidity and great length. The wine has all the components to develop beautifully in the next 7 to 10 years.
Blend: 52% Cabernet Franc, 30% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
-
Decanter
In 2017 production was down 26% due to lighter grapes in a dry, hot season. A very early ripening season was offset by one of the highest percentages of Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) in this wine. Crimson in colour, it's full of dried eucalyptus notes; slightly pyrazinic, it's reminiscent of wild fennel which is typical of the area around the Bolgherese road. Refined tannins on the palate become crisp and slightly thick on the finish. It's a wine which is not austere considering the vintage and which could become delicious after a couple more years in bottle.
-
James Suckling
Beautiful, ripe dark berries with dried flowers and sandalwood on the nose. Full and rich, yet in check, thanks to the fine, firm tannins that give composure to this pretty red. Needs a little time to soften, but a beauty already
-
Wine & Spirits
Coming off the hot, dry 2017 growing season, Il Pino’s flavors of raspberry and blackberry feel ripe and slightly warmed, accented by notes of pipe tobacco and supported by firm, raspy tannins. The wine is a blend of cabernet franc with 30 percent merlot, 15 percent petit verdot and a touch of cabernet sauvignon, aged for one year in new and second-use French oak barriques. Despite its ripeness, it’s almost austerely dry, its angular structure filled in by notes of vanilla and warm spice. Keep it in the cellar for a few years to let the fruit tones flesh out.
-
Wine Spectator
Intense, displaying concentrated dark fruit flavors of blackberry, plum and cassis, with a hint of cedar. Polished, balanced and hard to resist now due to the expressive profile of ripe fruit. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Made with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, this full-bodied red features aromas of black-skinned berry, tobacco and new leather. The structured palate offers ripe black plum, licorice and espresso alongside fine-grained tannins.
Legendary in Italy for its Renaissance art and striking landscape, Tuscany is also home to many of the country’s best red wines. Sangiovese reigns supreme here, as either the single varietal, or a dominant player, in almost all of Tuscany’s best.
A remarkable Chianti, named for its region of origin, will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and plenty of cherry fruit character. From the hills and valleys surrounding the medieval village of Montalcino, come the distinguished and age-worthy wines based on Brunello (Sangiovese). Earning global acclaim since the 1970s, the Tuscan Blends are composed solely of international grape varieties or a mix of international and Sangiovese. The wine called Vine Nobile di Montepulciano, composed of Prognolo Gentile (Sangiovese) and is recognized both for finesse and power.