Ricasoli Casalferro 2018 (75cl, 14.5%)

Ricasoli Casalferro 2018 is a red wine from Tuscany's Brolio estate, made from 100% Merlot under the Toscana IGT designation. Barone Ricasoli only bottles Casalferro in years deemed worthy. Fruit comes from three vineyard sites, one at roughly 500 metres above sea level. Grapes ferment in stainless steel tanks at 24–27°C with 14 to 18 days of skin contact, then mature for 21 months in tonneaux and barriques, 30% new oak. The nose shows violets, ripe blackcurrant, sweet spice, dried herbs, menthol, cedar and incense-like complexity. The palate has dark plum, espresso, loam, fine-grained tannins, sweet spice, licorice and dried mint, with a long finish of rosemary, thyme and dark fruit.