($80, Winebow):  The Bertarelli family, who owns Colle Massari, a leading estate in Montecucco, also owns Grattamacco in Bolgheri.  They founded Grattamacco in 1977, shortly after Sassicaia was established nearby.  Grattamacco’s flagship wine, also named Grattamacco and priced at $135+ a bottle, is an unusual blend for Bolgheri because it includes a little Sangiovese, a grape not widely planted in that part of Tuscany.  This one, L’Alberello, with its blend of Bordeaux varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet France and Petit Verdot) is more in keeping with what Bolgheri is best known for.  The three grapes are harvested together and co-fermented, a traditional field blend) and aged in small French oak barrels (barriques).  Generous and rich, it is beautifully balanced with enlivening Tuscan acidity that keeps it fresh.  Savory notes counterbalance its dark fruitiness and suave tannins provide support.  It’s a wonderfully youthful and firm wine that will benefit from years of aging, similar to the great wines of Bordeaux.  If you’re tempted to drink it now, open it a few hours before dinner, decant it, and serve it with a hearty meat dish, such as braised lamb shanks.
94 Michael Apstein Mar 31, 2020