2015 Fonterutoli Cabernet Sauvignon Mazzei

2015 Fonterutoli Cabernet Sauvignon Mazzei

2015 Fonterutoli Cabernet Sauvignon Mazzei Full, ripe and intriguing body, long taste with pleasant and fresh aftertaste. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep, dark purple in color. On the nose, intriguing black cherry, balsamic herbs, coffee, and lightly toasted oak. Harmonious flavors of dark fruit, dried flowers, chocolate, and vanilla. Exotic, complex character, full-bodied with polished tannins.

94 James Suckling: A dark-fruited red that shows mulberries, blackberries, creme de cassis, vanilla, and dark chocolate with a touch of fresh herbs and cedar. Full body, round yet structured tannins, and a chewy finish. Drink in 2020.

This wine is dedicated to the family’s most notable ancestor, Philip Mazzei (1730-1816), an illustrious political thinker, philosopher, and winemaker. A close friend of Thomas Jefferson, he planted the first vineyards at Jefferson’s estate in Monticello, VA. Philip’s political writings were influential to the soon-to-be president, particularly on matters of equality. Philip advocated that “all men are by nature equally free and independent,” which later served as an inspiration for the writing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. In his honor, the Mazzei’s developed Philip, a Cabernet Sauvignon made from a blend of grapes grown at Castello di Fonterutoli and Belguardo, their two estates in Tuscany.

For 26 generations, the Mazzei family has been producing benchmark Italian wines from their historic Castello di Fonterutoli estate in Tuscany and more recently in the Maremma, Sicily, and the Veneto. The passion, commitment, and expertise that goes into these expressive wines are a reflection of the Mazzei’s spirit of innovation and respect for each property’s unique terroir. Aging: 18 months in French and American oak barrels (30% new).