Boscarelli Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG 2021
(Tuscany, Italy) - [JS 94] [WS 92] [VM 92] [DM 92]

Notes from the Winemaker:

Since its first vintage in 1968, it has continued to represent almost half of our total production. Its composition and aging have remained largely unchanged and today we produce about 50,000 bottles yearly with this label. Our approach to Vino Nobile remains the creation of an ideal of a wine that combines freshness, elegance, complexity and great aging potential.

Soil:
Most of our vineyards in Cervognano are planted on alluvial and sandy limy soils with a good percentage of silt, clay and stony structure that vary between layers according to the altitude.

Grapes:
85% Sangiovese Prugnolo Gentile, 15% Canaiolo, Colorino and Mammolo.
Vino Nobile is produced with selected grapes from vineyards at least 10 years of age that are mainly planted on red, sandy and mineral soils to give the wine a great deal of character and aging potential.

Vinification:
The grapes are picked manually and transported in crates. After de-stemming and soft pressing, they are fermented in oak vats filled to no more than two-thirds of their capacity. Indigenous yeast is used in the fermentation process that lasts about a week at controlled temperatures from 28 to 30 degrees.

Short manual re-passing of the must and pomace is completed in the initial phase. Pulping continues, where possible, for another 5 to 8 days after fermentation.

Aging:
This wine is aged in Allier or Slavonian oak casks of capacity ranging from 5 to 35 hectoliters, where malolactic fermentation occurs. Maturation takes from 18 to 24 months. Before the release our Nobile ages in the bottle for several months.

Optimal maturity:
The aging potential of our Nobile is a few decades, so the optimum maturation period we recommend varies, depending on the vintage, from five-to-eight years after the harvest.

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - James Suckling:
"Intoxicating violets and roses with bright yet precise black cherries and raspberries are allied to toasty depth. Good attack on the palate with supple fruit and medium body. The ripe, velvety tannins are chalky in the finish, which is polished and refreshing, if not crisp. Drinkable now, but integration and complexity will improve with aging." (Oct 2024)

92 Points - Wine Spectator:
"This red delivers purity, boasting aromas and flavors of cherry, pomegranate, earth and iron, while also staying lively, supported by a dense matrix of tannins. Balanced, with a finish of bitter almond, this needs a few years to integrate. Best from 2027 through 2042. 4,500 cases made." - Bruce Sanderson (Oct 2024)

92 Points - Vinous Media:
"The 2021 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a total pleasure to the senses, with a perfumed bouquet of wilted violet and lavender tones, a dusting of spices and dried strawberry scents. This is cool-toned and fresh, with pretty wild berry fruits and crunchy mineral notes elevated by a tinge of sour citrus. Giving yet long and gently tannic, this finishes with a resonance of blackberry and hints of spice. The 2021 is delicate yet impactful. (Drink between 2025-2032)" - Eric Guido (Feb 2025)

92 Points - Decanter Magazine:
"While owner Luca De Ferrari anticipated a loss of up to 50% after April’s frost, following bottling he reports that it is actually around 30%. The estate’s flagship Vino Nobile represents almost half of Boscarelli’s production (which is about 100,000 bottles in ‘regular’ years). Aromas are shy and discreet, taking time to reveal pretty scents of cherry blossom and plum. This midweight contender boasts ample freshness, its bright acidity and elegant sandy tannins supporting a core of ripe red cherry and blood orange. Gracefully composed, it exhibits lovely balance and is one of the vintage’s more immediately approachable offerings." - Michaela Morris (Feb 2024)