James Suckling 96 points
Antonio Galloni - Vinous Media (95)
"The 2019 Il Blu is gorgeous. Dark and mysterious in the glass, the 2019 is
going to need at least a few years to reveal all of its personality.
Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, sage, mint, licorice and new leather all meld
together. This deep, fleshy Merlot-based blend hits all the right notes."
Wine Advocate 95 points.
A terrific blend of 80% Merlot, 10% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, this is an organic red blend from the forested hills of Tuscany. The 2019 Il Blu is recognized by its modern blue label (and fun orange capsule) and its contemporary winemaking style. It offers seamless richness, elegant intensity, and dark fruit weight. Italians might use the word "ruffiano" to describe it. The translation falls somewhere between "pleaser" and "panderer" but with a positive spin. Perhaps the most agreeable part of this barrique-aged wine is its availability, with an ample 42,000 bottles made.
WINERY NOTE:
Made only from the best hand-harvested and selected grapes from our two estates in the Chianti region, with ultra-fine tannins and a smooth and full finish, this is a full-bodied wine that stands out for its complexity and elegance. Today, thanks to the ever-improving complexity of our Merlot grapes, in particular from our vineyards in Radda in Chianti, the blend is 80% Merlot and 10% each Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Each single vineyard and variety are aged separately in barriques, new for two thirds, for 18 months. Afterwards, all the individual casks are tasted to select the final blend, which refines in uncoated concrete tanks for 3 months. This way the wine becomes more balanced, aromas are better integrated and so are the tannins, even before the one-year bottle aging. We continue the work of perfecting this wine, while at the same time, we take great care to preserve its identity.
Denomination - IGT Rosso Toscana
Blend - 80% Merlot 10% Sangiovese 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Maturing - 18 months 2/3 in new barriques 1/3 in used barriques, 3 additional months in concrete tanks
Bottle ageing 12 months
Tasting note - Aromas of currant, violet and cocoa. A wine of great structure, with elegant, firm and creamy tannins. Rich and intense, with sweet currant and wild berries characterizing the finish.
