INTRODUCTION
“An excellent and elegant vintage.”
LODOVICO
ANTINORI, ON 2020
Bibbona, in coastal Tuscany’s Upper Maremma, is the home of a special plot of vines: Vigna Lodovico.
Vigna Lodovico is 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 is the creator of Ornellaia and Masseto and 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.
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. As the man himself says in the quote above, 2020 is a vintage to be reckoned with.
GUY SEDDON HEAD OF FINE WINE BUYING
SEPTEMBER 2024
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.”
LODOVICO 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 lasts 3-4 weeks and takes place at 28˚C in stainless steel tanks. 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
A very mild winter, with temperatures between 5 and 18 degrees in March and April. Budburst began in early April, with balanced growth during late April and early May.
In June, two rainy spells of good intensity helped the vines get through the following months without strong hydric stress.
Minimum summer temperatures were 18-22°C at night and 30-33°C during the day.
Harvest dates were average, in the second half of September. Picking occurred, in Lodovico’s phrase, “without particular calamities”.
TASTING NOTE
LODOVICO 2020
Saturated ruby colour. Aromas of dark cedary berries and rich cassis. The palate opens compact and focused, a juicy line of acidity lifting the inky berry fruit on the midpalate, all framed by fine, grippy, granular tannins. A wine of refined power and zesty momentum, of innate drive and energy – this is what coastal Tuscany is capable of.
Fermented in stainless steel vats at 28°C. 80% of the wine underwent malolactic fermentation in oak barrels, the remainder in stainless steel. 14.5% abv.
Corney & Barrow Score 18.5
Recommended drinking from 2026 - 2040
£1,150/Case of 3 bottles, in bond UK
£805/Case of 1 magnum, in bond UK
£1,600/Case of 1 double 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.
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