Aurea Gran Rosé, excellent from the start

The preview tasting of the new rosé from Tenuta Ammiraglia demonstrated how the technical and agronomic skill of the staff at Frescobaldi can create a very great sparkling rosé.

Milan is undoubtedly Italy’s most European, if not global city. However, even smartphones here can lead you in the wrong direction which was the case when I went to the premier of the latest creation from Frescobaldi and ended up in Chinatown. I finally found it with the help of local shopkeepers and the location turned out to be a magnificent terrace with two swimming pools and a décor with a black and red lacquer theme. It was so elegant one could have mistaken it for a Red Cross charity event in Monte Carlo, or the exaggerated parties Milan had in the 1980s. Unfortunately, there was no mention of dress code on the invitation and I was definitely out of place. Nevertheless, the “sidereal” hostesses let me in despite my casual attire thanks to the reputation of DoctorWine and the fact my name was on the guest list.

Seeing Lamberto Frescobaldi and Niccolò d’Afflitto in the distance assured me I was in the right place. The tasting room was perfect and even had golden spittoons with matching pencils to jot down tasting notes, while the presentation brochures and leaflets seemed more like wedding invitations from Buckingham Palace, very nice but a bit redundant. All this to present the new rosé from Frescobaldi, from their beautiful Tenuta Ammiraglia estate in Maremma, Tuscany, which up until now had not really distinguished itself.

But this time they hit the bullseye with their mysterious, Syrah-based Aurea Gran Rosé, contaminated with a bit of Vermentino, an alchemic spell. It was an impressive, very French presentation, where one can gloss over the number of bottles and, above all, themes like blends and aging. It’s a ‘like it or not’ approach I approve of.

The maniacal care taken in producing this wine showed in a color that the best rosé of Provence would envy, a very pale, onion-skin pink the winery’s technical staff can only be proud of. But the color is just the start because this is a wine full of substance with its intriguing bouquet of Mediterranean shrubs, nectarines, an intense floral touch, a light hint of almond and a very enticing smoky note. Then there is the flavorful mouthfeel with its convincing salinity, acidity, great elegance and drinkability.

At its debut it already ranks among the best Italian rosé wines. The first vintage is 2017, which was a hot year but thanks to the work done in the vineyards and winery the result is impeccable without a trace of the heat. The fact that it is a 2017 means that the wine has come out just over a year from harvest yet has a more than enviable color and aroma. This is a wine that will make a name for itself. The only shortcoming? The price is not exactly for every man’s pocket.

Aurea Gran Rosé 2017 - Tenuta dell’Ammiraglia Frescobaldi 

94/100 - € 38

A blend of Syrah and Vermentino, with an addition of Syrah reserve wines fermented off the skins, which ferments in French-oak barrels. The wine has a very clear, onion-skin pink color and an intriguing bouquet of Mediterranean shrubs, nectarines, an intense floral touch, a light hint of almond and a very enticing smoky note. The flavorful mouthfeel has a convincing salinity, acidity, great elegance and drinkability, with a very long and fine aftertaste.

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