Winemaker Notes
Tasting NotesDeep, intense purple in color, with tremendous extraction, Redigaffi is a monumental and beautifully structured wine that shows how well the nonnative Merlot has adapted to the area around Suvereto on the Tuscan coast. It offers luscious layers of raspberry and blueberry jam, ripe plum and blackberry, followed by voluptuous notes of dark chocolate, licorice, black pepper, vanilla andincense. Fullbodied, lush, with polished tannins and an extralong finish, Redigaffi is one of Italy'sgreatest Merlots. A soughtafter gem for collectors and wine lovers worldwide. A true masterpiece.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A cult wine and an international superstar, Redigaffi (100% Merlot) will blow you away with its richness, opulence and smoothness. Aromatic layers of milk chocolate, nutmeg, vanilla and Christmas spice peel back one thick layer after the next. This is a loudspeaker wine with extraordinary intensity and softness from start to finish.
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Decanter
For Tua Rita, 2006 was generally a sunny growing season with a few showers during the summer that refreshed the vines and led to a long, slow ripening of the grapes. The 2006 Redigaffi has a very powerful, youthful style where the oak has not yet fully integrated. There are some sweet coconut and waxy notes but it opens up after some time to reveal spicy dark fruit and liquorice aromas. On the palate the fruit has a cool, blue fruit and green herb character with firm, upright tannins. This 2006 has a little less immediate charm than some of the other vintages, remaining a little more austere in style throughout the three-hour tasting.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A pure expression of Merlot, the 2006 Redigaffi feels a little too evolved or tertiary in the context of this quarter-century retrospective. There are vintages much older than this that have held up better. This was a hot growing season on the Tuscan coast, characterized by sunshine and cooling rain later on that helped to slow the ripening. Dried porcino mushroom, balsam herb, candied fruit and dried mint appear on the bouquet. Dig down deeper and you recognize the complexity and sheer power of this wine. Perhaps this vintage is fading at a faster pace than some of the others in this tasting. I shortened the suggested drinking window as a result.
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.