91 Pts Ian Dagata - Vinous Media

"A blend of 50% cabernet sauvignon, 30% syrah and 20% merlot. Deep red. Expressive aromas of cedar, blackcurrant and sexy oak. Suave and stylish, with a seamless quality to its black fruit flavors and tannins. Finishes with sneaky persistence and purity." 91 Points - Ian Dagata - International Wine Cellar

WINE:
"Intense and deep red colour with purple hues. On the nose intense and fresh with aromas of mature red fruit, citrus fruits and hints of spices. The palate is round, complex with ripe tannins and a herbal and mineral finish with hints of liquorice and a pleasant fruity aftertaste." -Winery

VINTAGE & VITICULTURE:
"The 2008 winter season was relatively mild and not particularly rainy except for some sporadic rainfall during the month of January; the temperatures fell around the middle of March, remaining below the seasonal average for around three weeks. This meant that plant growth was delayed by about 10 days compared to normal, having repercussions on the subsequent phenological phases (blossoming and veraison)."

"Spring was very sunny but from 10th to 20th May, which corresponds to the blossoming period, there was frequent rain and a considerable drop in the temperature. This lead to low yield with few bunches of grapes on each plant and an overall lower production that has been certified at around 20% less than normal."

"After the May showers the summer season was fairly settled, apart from some water stress in the sandiest regions and an unusually hot period (about 2 weeks) between the end of August and the first 15 days of September. The course of ripening was standard for all the varieties however the grape harvest periods were very close together."

"The grape harvest started on 2 September with the Merlot grapes, which was drawn out for about 10 days; around the middle of the month, when there was a sudden drop in the temperature of about 10 degrees, the Cabernet Franc and Syrah were harvested, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon within the end of September." -Winemaker

VINIFICATION:
"After destemming and soft crushing the different grape varieties were vinified separately. Fermentation and maceration took place in stainless steel vats for 15-20 days at a controlled temperature within 28° C."

"Part of the wine was then transferred into used 225 l French and Hungarian oak Barriques, where malolactic fermentation was completed and the wine was aged for about 8 months. The other 50% of the wine remained in stainless steel tanks for the fining and was then blended before the final bottling." -Winemaker

ESTATE:
"The Tenuta’s owners have always paid special attention to this fascinating place by exalting, in every possible way, the nature of a land that is strongly dedicated to the production of excellent red wines. 75 of the estate’s 500 hectares are planted with specialized vineyards, all falling into the DOC Bolgheri Bolgheri and IGT Toscana appellation with a total production of about 500.000 bottles. Within the DOC Bolgheri area, Tenuta Argentiera is the closest estate to the sea and the one that reaches the highest altitude, spreading from the plains to the hills. Its vineyards are completely surrounded by luxuriant Mediterranean vegetation, and the countryside where the Tenuta is situated is circumscribed by avenues of secular maritime pines and olive groves, in a charming and richly-scented landscape."

"This varied land is cultivated with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah, which are extremely typical, superb quality vines of the Bolgheri area. " -Importer

This wine was also scored 88 points by the Wine Enthusiast, 88 points by the Wine Advocate, and 87 points by the Wine Spectator.