Ampeleia Cabernet Franc Costa Toscana 2023

Grape: Cabernet Franc
Vintage: 2023
Type: Red

Grown on the high-altitude, clay-rich terraces of the single vineyard "Vigna dell’Asina" perched 500 meters above sea level in Roccatederighi, this pure varietal bottling is the undisputed crown jewel of the estate. Co-founded by natural winemaking icon Elisabetta Foradori, Ampeleia manages its rugged plots in the Alta Maremma under strict biodynamic and Demeter-certified principles. In the cellar, winemaker Marco Tait crafts this cuvée with minimal interference, utilizing 15% to 20% whole clusters for a gentle partial carbonic maceration, while the rest is completely destemmed. Fermented with wild yeasts and aged for nine months entirely in unlined concrete tanks, it sheds the traditional, heavy wood imprint of Tuscany to let the raw, wild personality of coastal Cabernet Franc take center stage.

In the glass, it shows a deep, luminous ruby color with brilliant violet highlights. The nose is incredibly vivid and complex, bursting with an aromatic contrast of dark forest cassis, sour cherry, fresh mint leaves, and a fragrant, savory undercurrent of rosemary and wild thyme. On the palate, a "crystalline" core of electric, limestone-driven acidity cuts right through the wine’s primary, primary-fruited concentration. The tannins are remarkably silken and polished, lending a fluid, weightless texture that never feels bogged down by heavy alcohol or oak. The finish is beautifully focused, chalky, and persistent, leaving behind a mouthwatering trail of wet earth, white pepper, and a lingering kiss of maritime salinity.