29
Cellar for up to 7 years. No need to decant before serving. Known as one of Chianti’s premier producers, Castello di Ama shot to fame during the 1980s thanks to their groundbreaking L’Apparita wine composed of 100% Merlot. This extremely ageworthy wine helped establish Italy’s reputation for producing world-class Merlot, with the 1987 L’Apparita actually beating Pétrus 1988 and Le Pin during a blind tasting at the Académie du Vin in Switzerland. The Castello di Ama estate is set in the heart of Chianti Classico close to the town of Gaiole and boasts some 90 hectares of vines planted on some of the region’s finest terroir. Today the estate is also known for their excellent traditional-style Chianti wines like the Ama which is crafted almost entirely from estate-grown Sangiovese grapes. To ensure the fruit arrives at the winery in excellent condition it is harvested by hand and carefully sorted. Vinification takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks followed by maturation in second-use oak barrels. The essence of this wine is youth and vivacity, so the wine is bottled and released without delay to ensure the bright fruit character and energetic freshness do not fade. Juicy red berry flavours, a medium body and plenty of smooth tannins make this a great match for charcuterie, tomato-based pasta dishes or even a spicy pepperoni pizza shared with family and friends.