Baffonero is the Grand Cru, 100% Merlot, from Rocca di Frassinello. Takes the
name from a 3.5 ha vineyard, with perfect exposure and medium soil
- clayey very rich in skeleton. Merlot clones were planted here
coming from Château Lafite. The name Baffonero is inspired by a story
Maremma which recalls the wild boar hunts typical of the area.
Today Baffonero tells not only these anecdotes, but also the strength and
the elegance of a unique land like Maremma.
Notes on the 2019 vintage: a very variable season. In spring, and at the beginning
of the summer, temperatures lower than the seasonal average were recorded and
the rains, during flowering, delayed the subsequent phenological phases,
lengthening the vegetative cycle of the plant. In the months of July and August, but
especially September, followed by very sunny weather with temperatures
high, but not very high, and significant temperature variations between day and night;
this situation favored the perfect phenolic maturity of the grapes. THE
Merlot bunches, at the time of harvest, were perfectly intact,
healthy and juicy. they are soft and velvety wines, rich in polyphenols and extract,
however balanced by a pleasant freshness.
Tasting notes: this pure Merlot reveals aromas characterized by a
variety of black fruits, in particular blackberry and blueberry, but also notes of vanilla,
tobacco, chocolate and slight hints of coffee. In the mouth it is full and robust
shows off all its complexity as well as a marked freshness that makes it
long and pleasant and particularly persistent in the finish.
Best scores 2019:
Municipality of production: Gavorrano (GR)
Type of soil: clayey, rich in stone
Vineyard altitude: 90 m. above sea level
Vineyard name: Vigna Baffonero
Training system: spurred cordon
Planting density: 5,900 plants per hectare
Yield per hectare: 35 quintals
Harvest period: first half of September
Vinification: in concrete
Malolactic fermentation: carried out
Aging: in 100% new French oak barriques
Duration of refinement in barriques: 24 months
Bottle refinement: 12 months