Grattamacco Bolgheri Superiore

Bolgheri Superiore bottle image

Wine Description

Grattamacco’s Bolgheri Rosso Superiore is iconic in Bolgheri, Italy, and beyond. The flagship wine of the estate, this was the second important wine to come from the Bolgheri area following Sassicaia.

Grattamacco was founded in 1977 and was the second winery of the Bolgheri appellation, following Sassicaia. Grattamacco has lead the region in environmentally responsible farming, and was the first to use an Alberello or head-pruned method in Bolgheri. The winery lies on a rise between Castagneto Carducci and Bolgheri, with a panoramic view of the Tuscan coast. The Grattamacco vineyards are located at about 330 ft. above sea level, in a wonderfully protected plot that spans over one of Bolgheri's only two hills, and is surrounded by other internationally renowned Bolgheri properties. 

Barrel Samples
Vineyards
Subsoil
Luca Marrone Chief enologist of Grattamacco
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Acclaim
“Deep garnet. Quite claret-like, tasting as though it is Cabernet-dominated, perhaps because of the Casa Vecchica ingredient with the tannin more obvious. Still quite chewy. Firm and lightly medicinal. Still part of the family with some richness but it’s nowhere near peak.” – 18 points — Jancis Robinson, Jul 2024
“The 2016 Bolgheri Superiore Grattamacco is a subtle and elegant wine with decisive energy and forward momentum. The blend is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Sangiovese, and the fruit is sourced from across the best sites in the estate’s various vineyard holdings. The bouquet opens to delicate berry and wild cherry and then moves over to warmer Mediterranean tones of rosemary, pressed flower and gardening soil. To the palate, the wine shows depth and medium consistency that prizes smoothness, texture and length. Elegance is the big takeaway.”
— Wine Advocate, Dec 2020
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Vineyard & Production Info
Soil composition
calcareous sandstone, marl and calcareous flysch mixed to clay
Training method
Guyot Cordon Spur-pruned
Elevation:
330-720 feet
Exposure:
Various
Year vineyard planted:
1989-2002
Harvest time:
late September
First vintage of this wine:
1979
Bottles produced of this wine:
50,000
Average Vine Age:
24 years
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Winemaking & Aging
Maceration length:
28
Varietal composition:
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 15% Sangiovese
Fermentation container:
conical oak vat
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
15 days
Fermentation temperature:
75-86 °F
Maceration technique:
Punchdown
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Fining agent:
no fining
Type of aging container:
Barriques
Size of aging container:
225 L
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
21 months
Age of Aging Container:
30%new oak, 50% second use, 20% third use
Length of bottle aging:
6 months
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.4
Acidity:
6 g/L
Alcohol:
14.5 %
Dry extract:
33.1 g/L
Residual sugar:
0.8 g/L