Grattamacco Bolgheri Rosso Superiore 40 Anniversario 2022

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

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Sassacaia, Ornellaia & Grattamacco!

About

Until the 1970’s Bolgheri style red wine production was associated exclusively with Sassicaia.

Piermario Meletti Cavallari moved to Castagneto from Bergamo in 1977 and founded Podere Grattamacco in the area called Grattamacco.

Grattamacco was the second winery in Bolgheri after Sassicaia to plant French varieties, and the first to label its flagship wine Bolgheri. Back then the region really was the wild west with no electricity and the DOC didn’t even permit red wines until the mid 90’s. Grattamacco has delivered remarkable consistency since its first release in 1982 and they are one of very few to use Sangiovese.

Grattamacco’s signature style of elegance over power is aided by the inclusion of a small percentage of Sangiovese in the blend, together with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, all grown at a relatively high, cooler altitude of 100 to 200 meters above sea level.

The name Grattamcco refers to the “macco”, a mineral which was scraped away (“grattato”) during the iron working process carried out by the Etruscans on these hills.

Grattamacco is now owned by Colle Massari Wine Estates along with Poggio di Sotto

In the Vineyard

Today, the Grattamacco estate counts 80 hectares, 29 of which are vineyards, 4 of which are olive groves, surrounded by a vast woodland that moderates the Tyrrhenian sea’s winds, for a drying effect that allows the estate to work sustainably.

The Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore is produced from the original vineyards planted in 1977 at higher elevation between 100 and 200 meters bordering the forests. The soil is characterized by calcareous sandstone, marl, and calcareous flysch mixed with white clay. The climate is the temperate Mediterranean with frequent sea breezes. Viticulture based on methods and principles respectful to the environment allows a spontaneous and balanced production with low yields per hectare.

The Estate was the first to plant Vermentino in Bolgheri with the oldest vineyard from 1986 and still fully in production.

A single vineyard was planted in 2004, located on the plain with a terroir mix of silt and red sandy soils. A typical Bordeaux Left Bank blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Franc and Petit Verdot grown in an ancestral exagon pattern called “settonce” and trained them alberello or head-pruning, hence the wine’s name, L’Alberello.

In the Winery

Grapes are hand-harvested and carefully selected in vineyards with an average age of 25 years. Spontaneous fermentation occurs in 7 hl (700l) oak vats with a frequent and gentle manual “pigeage,” enabling long macerations and slow release of only fully ripe and noble tannins. This wine was aged for 18 months in oak barrels and bottled in October 2021.

From a maker’s perspective use of these tiny wooden ferementers give you great feel and make it easy to handle the skins gently extracting as much or as little as you wish. This goes a long way to explaining the superfine long tannin with a Cabernet feel of the Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore.

The 2019 Vintage at

The summer climate characterized by intense heat peaks was balanced by the heavy rains at the end of July, restoring optimal conditions for the grapes to ripen. The rains of late August-early September were followed by a windy and sunny climate with good temperature variations, which accelerated ripening. Harvest began September 3rd with the first Merlots and continued in the middle of the month with the Sangiovese. A year of great character and richness, in which the remarkable structure of the wine is well balanced by acid freshness and tannic balance.

Where in the World is Grattamacco?

Grattamacco’s vineyards are on high elevation land next to Sassicaia’s in Bolgheri, Italy.