After just a couple of days in the company, I found myself invited into the C & B tasting room to sample a range of wines from Enrico Santini. With a particular interest in Italian wines, this was a great opportunity to develop that passion as well as dip my toe into the range as a whole. Enrico is a biodynamic producer with 8ha of vineyards in the region of Bolgheri, a DOC on the Ligurian coast of Central Italy that has been instrumental in the Rinascimento, which Tuscany has enjoyed over the last 50 years or so. Home to the Super Tuscan greats of Sassicaia and Ornellaia, Enrico is following their lead with plantings of Bordeaux varietals alongside Syrah and the Tuscan standard bearer Sangiovese.
The first two wines I tasted however were the 2009 and 2010 vintages of his white, Campo alla Casa, which is a blend of Vermentino and Sauvignon Blanc. The 2009 was super, displaying an abundance of green and stone fruits coupled with a mineral intensity. Whilst it had the expected levels of acidity, it was also beautifully rounded and really showcased the potential a number of whites have if they are afforded a little time to develop further. This point was backed up by the 2010, which was much more what you would expect from a Sauvignon blend. Very clean with lots of citrus fruit and zesty acidity, I will be very keen to try this a few months down the line.
The Poggio al Moro 2009 was the first of four reds opened to try. An intense, fruit heavy nose of cherries and blackcurrants was backed up on the palate by subtle spice and creaminess from the oak. Still pleasingly elegant though, with well-balanced acidity and soft enticing tannins. Following this was two bottles of I Montali from the 2006 and 2007 vintages. The 2007 was still very much on the youthful side with lots of firm, grippy tannins. Big and intense with dark fruits to the fore alongside toasty oak notes. The 2006, as you would expect, was the more approachable of the two with softer, riper tannins. Whilst plums and blackcurrants were evident again there was a more rounded feel, which I put down to a more elegant, restrained level of oak. The 2006 was drinking beautifully now but there was arguably more potential in the structure of the 2007.
The final red was Enrico’s flagship wine, the Montepergoli from 2006. Only produced in the best vintages this was a fantastically rich, complex wine. Mocha and chocolate complemented fruit and minerality alongside an underlying quality of Bordeaux earthiness. Both the structure and the finish mark this wine as one for the long term. This was a great first tasting that showed off some super wines from a producer at the top of his game. Hopefully the first of many!
