Caiarossa 2013

The Caiarossa IGT is a brooding blend of international varietals grown in some of the choicest terroir in Tuscany.  The inaugural vintage of this “Super Tuscan” was in 1998, and the trajectory of this estate took a very interesting turn when Eric Albada Jelgersma, a Dutch businessman, acquired the property in 2004.  For those unfamiliar, Mr. Jelgersma is the proud owner of two Margaux Grand Crus Classés estates – Château du Terte and Château Giscours.  Since then, the property has experienced more than its fair share of critical acclaim with each passing vintage.  These elegant and age worthy wines are a perfect fit for any oenophile who loves the finesse of Bordeaux blends but the spice and exciting thrill of Italian wines. 

Caiarossa derives its name partially from the richly-hued red soils on the property and partially as a creative twist on the name of the Greek goddess of fertility and the earth, Gaia.  The figure on the label is an engraving of a statue of the Greek god Dionysus, dated back to the fourth century B.C.  For those familiar, Dionysus is the Greek god of wine – a fitting symbol for this elegant producer based out of Tuscany.  This sprawling 70-hectare property is about a stone’s throw away from the Tuscan coast, located in the Val di Cecina near the province of Pisa.  The property is just a 30 minute drive from the prestigious Bolgheri DOC, and this picturesque town is steeped in history: filled with medieval ruins, oak woods, and abandoned mines. There are plenty of Jasper deposits at the estate and these minerals give the soil its distinctive red coloring. 

At Caiarossa, the terroir is the star of the show.  There are no shortage of different varietals that grow on property to produce the estate’s exciting blends.   Several different varietals are planted at the property, including Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Alicante, Syrah, Viognier, Chardonnay and Petit Manseng.  The viticultural team proudly supports biodynamic viticulture, making it one of the estate’s core values.  Since Caiarossa’s inception in 1998 at the height of the Super Tuscan movement, biodynamic farming practices were implemented at the property like spraying their vineyards with copper and low doses of sulfur in order to protect the vines from pesticides.  They also practice sexual confusion to control the insect population and harvest according to the lunar calendar.  Caiarossa obtained their Organic certification in 2003 and achieved the notable feat of obtaining the very difficult to attain Demeter Certification in 2005.

After the grapes are harvested, they are hand sorted and selected prior to destemming.  They are then vinified in a mixture of cement and oak fermentation tanks in their modern entirely gravity-flow winery.  Caiarossa is then aged in wooden barriques prior to the final blend being finished in concrete. A plethora of grapes go into this blend, including Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Alicante.  The philosophy behind the Caiarossa IGT is to showcase the purest expression of the vineyards.

"This is a gorgeous blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot and Alicante. The 2013 Caiarossa struts its stuff with a soft, velvety mouthfeel and beautiful aromatic intensity. This vintage is complete and generous on all fronts. The bouquet opens slowly and seductively with dark fruit and dried cherry. Those primary aromas segue to spice, smoked cedar and bitter chocolate. You don't get a clear sense of any one variety, but this blend of seven grapes offers power, structure, intensity and textural richness nonetheless." Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate (11/30/2017) Rating: 94 Drink: 2017-2028