Charleston - Wine Store

My dearest friend and wine aficionado, it’s time again for the special Wine Box, Christmas 2024 edition. Just like last year, I searched among wines from the Province of Arezzo. Wines that best represent the variety and all the qualities of this beautiful land.

Same as last year, these are wines practically unknown to large audiences. Such limited productions of a few hundred bottles make it impossible to find them in the US.

Tenuta La Pineta, which last year I introduced with their “Il Guido” wine, has produced, from the 2020 vintage, a Supertuscan called TRIPINIO. This is a made-up word to indicate a wine made with three different grape varieties grown at La Pineta. A very unusual blend since it combines 33% of Cabernet-Sauvignon, 33% of Merlot and 33% of Pugnitello. This latter is one of the oldest Tuscan grape varieties. Quite different from Sangiovese, it has great body and structure. Tripinio, 15% alcohol, was produced in 1228 bottles, all sequentially numbered.

“Gnuttelo” 2023, from the winery by that same name, is 80% Cabernet-Sauvignon – 13% Cabenet-Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. It’s a very elegant and structured wine, produced on one of the most beautiful hills that surround Arezzo, the Agazzi hill. The wine has abundant fruit and persistence.

Matrignano winery, with its new Ostinato 2019, issued in just 1200 bottles, mixes Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino, Trebbiano, and Malvasia. It’s quite soft and fruity, and shows all the best character of a great Tuscan wine. Ostinato, in Italian, means “stubborn, hard-headed” because it is produced by the two young ladies running Matrignano, who are doggedly persistent in continuing their family wine-making traditions.

Clio Cicogni this year will astound you with its “Re di Bastoni 2022”, a limited production of 1000 bottles of pure, 100% Sangiovese. Quite powerful, (15% Alcohol), it’s made in terracotta amphorae with all the passion and distinct personality that has always belonged to the wines produced by Clio.

Longaia 2020 Pinot Noir 100% is produced on the highest part of the Cortona hill. The elevation is around 1600 feet. With just 2500 bottles of a great Pinot Noir, this wine shows well recognizable aromas of red fruits, from strawberries to raspberries, and it is quite dry and fresh to the taste.

The Special Wine Box 2024 features many women who grow grapes and make high quality wines, just like the last wine I’m presenting here: Exterra 2023, a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Malvasia and Trebbiano, created by Elisabetta, a very young lady who produces wine in the Arno River Valley. Elisabetta joined her great passion for cooking, to the one for great wines. Extraterra is a young, all natural project, issued in only 1296 bottles for the 2023 vintage.

I sincerely hope that this Special Box will meet your liking, and I also wish to see you again soon in Italy!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your wonderful family!
Stefano
Enoteca Charleston