Baffonero from Maremma

Baffonero is a great Merlot, bold yet in no way heavy, and it is the showcase wine of Rocca di Frassinello, the Maremma branch of the Domini Castellare group.

Rocca di Frassinello is a splendid estate in the Tuscan part of Maremma that is owned by Paolo Panerai, a journalist, publisher and founder of Gruppo Class. The winery was designed by none other than Renzo Piano and founded exactly 20 years ago. It is run by Alessandro Cellai, the enologist responsible for the production of all the wineries in the group, which includes Castellare di Castellina in Chianti and Feudi del Pisciotto in Sicily.

Baffonero is Frassinello’s showcase wine and is made from Merlot, as are Redigaffi Tua Rita, Quercebella Petra and the very famous Masseto Ornellaia, which are produced not far away. Baffo Nero was the name of a legendary farmer in the area who was also once the owner of the vineyard the produces the grapes for this wine. The red was given that name to underscore the wine’s connection with this land, even if it is made with a non-native varietal like Merlot, which has also produced excellent results elsewhere in Maremma.

The Baffonero vineyard’s soil is mostly clay which is very suited for Merlot. The vineyard’s density is some 6,000 rootstocks per hectare and the vines are prune-spur cordon-trained. Fermentation and maceration take place in cement vats for 15 days and the wine matures for 14 months in new barriques to then age in the bottle for a year. This is an intense and bold wine yet not heavy and the more recent vintages confirm that it is one of the best in its category. This is particularly true of the 2015 and the 2016, which has just come out and is reviewed here for the first time by DoctorWine, which both have great class and personality. The wine has been having great success among experts in tastings around the world and this was not by chance. The price is undoubtedly high and so it is not a wine for everyone or for every day. However, it is one of the best Merlot produced in Italy and can certainly hold its own among many international wines in its category.

Maremma Toscana Baffonero 2016

Made from Merlot and matured in barriques for 14 months. The wine has an intense a lively ruby color with an excellent concentration. The aroma has classic notes of raspberry, also the jam, sour cherry and blond tobacco, vanilla hints and a slightly smoky sensation that is nicely integrated into the aromatic profile. The warm and wrapping mouthfeel has thick yet composed tannins that are very fine and elegant with an excellent volume in the mouth ad formidable persistence.

A great, bold red that is in no way heavy and has a drinkability that is not difficulty for its category.

96/100

160,00

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