Lodovico 2018 Vintage, En Primeur

Lodovico Antinori

LODOVICO 2018

Bibbona, in coastal Tuscany’s Upper Maremma, is the home of Vigna Lodovico.

The Tenuta di Biserno estate was established in 2007. Lodovico is its top wine and a superlative example of Cabernet Franc.

Vigna Lodovico. A single plot of six hectares, discovered in 1995 by Marchese Lodovico Antinori, who originally intended it as part of Ornellaia. It soon became apparent that these hilly, rocky slopes had a personality of their own, capable of making something unique.

Lodovico Antinori. The creator of Ornellaia and Masseto, scion of the Tuscan winemaking dynasty. Following the sale of Ornellaia in 2002, Lodovico, together with his brother Marchese Piero Antinori, founded this new estate. It is a personal project, very personal in fact, dedicated to the next generation, Lodovico’s daughter Sofia.

Cabernet Franc. The great wines built around Cabernet Franc are an exclusive club. When given full rein to express itself, in the corners of the world in which it thrives, this is a grape capable of making world class wines.

Lodovico is one of them. It is a gem of the Tuscan coast. Thanks to a 2018 growing season in Bibbona blessed with cool nights and sea breezes, the extreme heat felt through much of Europe was tempered, making for one of the strongest vintages yet of this great wine.

GUY SEDDON

THE VINEYARD: VIGNA LODOVICO

“We have long known that certain parcels are perfectly suited to the cultivation of Cabernet Franc, but we only relatively recently discovered one special area, Vigna Lodovico, which yields remarkable results” ANTINORI

Among coastal Tuscany’s vinous secrets are its cool nights and startlingly intense light. Summer days are picture postcard perfect, white light reflecting off an azure sea, whilst nights can be crisp and refreshing.

Vigna Lodovico’s soils are a mix of clay and the mineralrich ‘Bolgheri conglomerate’. Cabernet Franc here has more in common with the right bank of Bordeaux than the Loire, although its aromatic delicacy evokes shades of both. Some vines of Petit Verdot and Merlot provide the merest seasoning.

Vigna Lodovico was planted in 2002, at a density of 6,500 vines per hectare. The vines are pruned to form spur cordons, trained on trellises. Grass between the rows restricts the vines’ natural vigour.

THE CELLAR

Grapes are selected on a vibrating sorting table, then de-stemmed and gently crushed.

Fermentation takes place at 28˚C in stainless steel tanks, following which 80% of the wine undergoes malolactic conversion in oak barrels, the remainder in stainless steel.

Lodovico is aged for 16 months in 80% new French oak barriques, 20% one year old. It is bottled and released after a further 12 months.

THE GROWING SEASON

The 2017-18 winter was ideal for replenishment of the vines, with below-freezing temperatures in the new year and abundant rainfall.

Further rain fell during the spring, continuing even as summer approached. This proved challenging for Vigna Lodovico’s all-important Cabernet Franc, but the vineyard team’s tireless efforts won out.

During the summer months, the temperature hovered around the habitual 30°C, with marked variations between day- and night-time temperatures (in contrast to some other European fine wine regions), as well as the customary coastal breezes.

The grapes ripened exceptionally well, with good access to soil water reserves. Merlot was harvested in the first half of September, while the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot were picked from late September through to the second week of October.

TASTING NOTE

LODOVICO 2018

Fine blackberry aromas with earthy minerality and hints of the forest floor – that lovely herbiness of Cabernet Franc. The palate is poised between rich, regal dark berries and textured herbaceousness, the impressive weight lifted by fresh acidity and framed by firm, finely fruit-coated tannins. The empty glass has the most wonderful raspberry perfume. 14.5% abv.

Corney & Barrow Score 18+ Recommended drinking from 2025 - 2040

£985/Case of 3 bottles, in bond UK £710/Case of 1 magnum, in bond UK

Tasting Guide

Our tasting notes provide full details but, at your request, we have also introduced a clear and simple marking system. We hope these guidelines assist you in your selection. For the benefit of simplicity, wines are scored out of 20. We will often use a range of scores (e.g. 16.5 to 17) to indicate the potential to achieve a higher mark. When a ‘+’ is shown it adds further to that potential. Wines from lesser vintages will, inevitably, show a lower overall score.

Wines are judged, in a very broad sense, against their peers. Why? Well, you cannot easily compare a Ford with an Aston Martin, other than they are both cars and have wheels. It is not that different with wine. A score is a summary only. The devil is in the detail, so please focus on the tasting notes and, as always, speak to our sales team.

CONTACT US

LONDON

1 Thomas More Street London E1W 1YZ

T +44 (0)20 7265 2400 sales@corneyandbarrow.com

EAST ANGLIA Belvoir House High Street, Newmarket Suffolk CB8 8DH

T +44 (0)1638 600 000 newmarket@corneyandbarrow.com

SINGAPORE

101 Cecil Street

#16-07 Tong Eng Building Singapore, 069533

T +65 6221 8530 singapore@corneyandbarrow.com

NORTH OF ENGLAND Sedbury Stables Sedbury Hall, Richmond North Yorkshire DL10 5LQ

T +44 (0)1748 828 640 sedburyorders@corneyandbarrow.com

EDINBURGH Oxenfoord Castle by Pathhead Midlothian Scotland EH37 5UB T +44 (0)1875 321 921 edinburgh@corneyandbarrow.com

AYR 8 Academy Street, Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland KA7 1HT T +44 (0)1292 267 000 ayr@corneyandbarrow.com

FACEBOOK @corneyandbarrow

T WITTER @corneyandbarrow INSTAGRAM @corneyandbarrow

www.corneyandbarrow.com