Winemaker Notes
Lodovico is a rare, unexpected assemblage from our Biserno estate. We had previously identified parcels of the estate that were particularly conducive to the cultivation of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, but we only recently discovered within that micro-climate and terroir an even more special parcel, Vigna Lodovico, that has been yielding superior, singular results. It then became immediately clear to everyone involved that this unique character must be fostered, that this individual expression demanded to be crafted. Lodovico, an extraordinary wine, is only available in extremely small quantities through exclusive wine merchants.
Ripe dark fruit with well integrated spicy oak adding notes of freshly ground coffee, cocoa. Relatively tight knit, dense with ripe, polished tannins and great length. It is a powerful yet elegant wine which needs time to express its full potential. This wine is about texture and complexity. A nose that gives plenty to think about and to discover. The full bodied and rich texture is balanced by a fine acidity.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Only available in limited quantities, with the Cab Franc and Petit Verdot hailing from a distinct parcel with a singular expression called Vigna Lodovico. Bold, dusty tannins surround notes of graphite and textural plushness. The blackberries are ripe and marked by iron, cherry cedar, espresso bean, and lavender. The liquid’s delivery is luxurious across the palate.
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Wine & Spirits
Lodovico leads a set of impressive releases from Tenuta di Biserno. The estate’s top wine, it’s produced in select vintages from a small plot of vines (primarily cabernet franc) planted in 2002. The long, moderate growing season in 2013 yielded an intensely concentrated wine with flavors that range from brambly blue fruit to loamy soil, molten chocolate and savory charred meat. The wine feels broad-shouldered yet clad in a sable cape, its flavors densely packed and gripped by powerful tannins. It requires several days of air to reveal more detail, layers of black licorice, sage, rosemary and miso surging forward on a wave of vibrant acidity and reverberating long after the wine is gone.
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Wine Spectator
Superripe, plush and complex, this nevertheless focuses on black currant, blackberry, Tuscan scrub, iron, tobacco and spice aromas and flavors. The tannins are muscular but not overbearing, yet the vibrant acidity provides energy and focus. Terrific length. Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2035.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Lodovico performs differently than you might expect, especially considering the knock-out performance of its cousin, Biserno from the same vintage. There was some discussion among my tasting group, which included Lodovico Antinori (directly at the estate), about the integrity of our samples, but it was not followed through with conviction. We concluded that the wine was simply in a closed phase when tasted. Indeed, this vintage offers a distinctive note of crushed granite and pencil shaving that you do not get in the others. This edition is almost salty in flavor compared to those. All said and done, I believe the 2013 vintage is enjoying a slower development, and we simply need to give it time. The tannins are dry but serve as ample glue to piece together the wine's many moving parts. It needs time to settle and flesh out.
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.