New reds from Il Palagio, the famed Tuscan estate
Il Palagio’s chiefly Sangiovese, Merlot, and Vermentino vines grow on both of Chianti’s most famous soils, Galestro (rocky schistous alluvial clays) and Alberese (weathered sandstone with a high proportion of calcium carbonate limestone) in vineyards that buzz with life. After buying the 16th century manor in 1997, Sting & Styler discovered 11.3ha of all-but-abandoned vines they revived or replanted with the help of world renowned biodynamic viticulture expert Alan York who converted their domaine to natural farming over two decades ago. The results are stunning, pure, and nuanced fruit. Riccardo Cotarella’s wines put that fruit up front, giving us opulent, deeply pleasurable Chianti and Super-Tuscan gems.
This vintage, we’ve secured enough When We Dance and Message In a Bottle Rosso to satisfy by-the-glass demands. The remaining wines are available in smaller supply for cellars, retailers, collectors, and by-the-bottle lists.
THE WINES
2020 “When We Dance” Chianti DOCG
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2020 “Message In a Bottle” Sangiovese
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2020 “Message In a Bottle” Vermentino
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2020 “Baci Sulla Bocca” Vermentino
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2018 “La Duchessa” Chianti Riserva DOCG
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2019 “1530” Super-Tuscan
More details on the wines below.
AB CSPC/SKU # 849673
2020 ‘WHEN WE DANCE’
Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino - Chianti DOCG
This DOCG Chianti is the perfect entry point into Il Palagio's oeuvre. Made as unobtrusively as possible, this cuvée showcases the naked terroir of Valdarno. Fermented and aged six months in stainless steel, this wine lets the fruit dance on its own two feet without any oak spice. This is the perfect food wine, pirouetting with bright red fruit and citrus undertones on a medium body and fully ripened, silky tannins. Primed for drinking now and an ideal companion at any table with it’s lively acidity and perfect compliment to any tomato based dish.
AB CSPC/SKU # 849676
2020 ‘MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE’ ROSSO
100% Sangiovese - Rosso Toscana IGT
The message in this bottle is spicy, herbaceous, and red fruited, and whatever else you might need to hear. Aged 12 months in large neutral oak, this is a perfectly centre-cut, straight-over-the-plate Sangiovese, a wine you could train on for blind tasting, and a gorgeous one at that. Dark ruby. Exquisitely ripe notes of plum and cherry and iron buoyed by baking spice and dried herbs. Medium-bodied with firm but fine tannins. The joyful taste of Tuscany, you can almost see that golden Valdarno light with every sip.
AB CSPC/SKU # 849675
2020 ‘MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE’ BIANCO
100% Vermentino - Bianco Toscana IGT
Bright yellow with greenish reflections, starting out delicately floral and fresh with aromas of citrus and some pineapple and banana, leading to subtle acidity and a lot of character that belies its light footed 12.5% abv. Five months in stainless with a small portion in large neutral oak to add nuance without losing freshness. Simply a pleasure for acolytes of Vermentino.
AB CSPC/SKU # 849679
2020 ‘BACI SULLA BOCCA’
100% Vermentino - Bianco Toscana IGT
This is the first Il Palagio wine from the hand of famed winemaker, Riccardo Cotarella, who joined just before harvest. Trudie asked Riccardo to tackle this wine in particular, as they are both obsessed with Vermentino. She named it Baci Sulla Bocca (meaning kiss on the mouth) because it struck Trudie as exactly that when she first tasted it. Trudie then created the label using Elliott Erwitt's 1955 photo California Kiss, explaining: "at a time when hugs and kisses have been given up to the pandemic, this wine is sent forth as a hope for the future.” This kiss delights with fragrant notes of peach, apricot, and jasmine.
AB CSPC/SKU # 866625
2018 ‘LA DUCHESSA’
Sangiovese - Chianti Riserva DOCG
Il Palagio's first venture into the Riserva category, these oldest Sangiovese vines on the best sites originally provided the fruit for Il Palagio's former tête de cuvée, "Sister Moon." The overall quality of the 2018 vintage was so good that Riccardo Cotarella decided to rebrand the cuvée as a Riserva Chianti DOCG. La Duchessa strikes is a cellar worthy gem revealing Chianti's cooler climes compared to its more muscular brother in Montalcino. The components form a harmony of ripe sour cherry and dark forest berries, with lovely notes of smoke and spice and even some grapefruit nuance. Juicy acidity on the palate, delicious, and elegant with an indelible finish. This is an opulent wine and inviting wine.
AB CSPC/SKU # 866626
2019 ‘1530’ SUPER-TUSCAN
Riccardo Cotarella's best foot forward, this is Il Palagio's new tête de cuvée under the aegis of this legendary vigneron. Aged in barriques for 12 months, this vintage smells of blackberries and juniper, medicinal herbs and tobacco, tomato leaves and marked aromas of spices, especially cinnamon and licorice with a hint of tar. Each sip delivers a tender volume, a well balanced weight on the palate that offers soft yet plentiful tannin and a long intense finish.
Vino Al Vino is an Alberta wine importer and wine wholesaler specializing in real wines, wines with minimal intervention. All of our wines are sustainable. Almost all of our wines are certified organic. Many of our wines are certified biodynamic. Many of our wines are full-throttle zero-zero natural wines.
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