B-21 Top Recommendation Read More
Crafted by “one of the reference points in Montepulciano” according to Vinous critic Antonio Galloni, the sumptuous 93 pt. 2020 Avignonesi Grifi is a top Super Tuscan value, an elegant 50-50 blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon offering fragrant dark fruit hinting of wild herbs and spice with dense, layered tannins on a fresh, lingering finish that’s bargain priced to enjoy often over the next decade.
Founded in Italy’s first and oldest red wine appellation, Avignonesi owner Virginie Saverys purchased the historic winery in the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOC in 2009, transforming the estate to organic and biodynamic viticulture over the next decade with the help of renowned agronomer Adriano Zago and implementing an intense study to identify the unique qualities of each vineyard parcel. Now the largest biodynamic wine estate in Italy and the fifth largest in the world spanning 175 hectares, Avignonesi produced the terroir expressive 2020 Grifi from vines located in the rolling hills near the medieval town of Montepulciano as well as a plot in nearby Cortona, the parcels planted in sedimentary soils of calcareous limestone, clay and sand at altitudes ranging up to 375 meters above sea level. Vinified with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats, the appealing 93 pt. 2020 Avignonesi Grifi was aged for 24 months in a mix of oak casks and barriques, yielding dark, lightly spiced fruit with “fresh, fine-grained tannins and a cooling finish” according to James Suckling worthy of aging over the next ten years.
Describing the estate’s ability to craft wines that transparently express their terroir, Eric Guido of Vinous declared, “For a lesson on Montepulciano’s terroir, one needs to look no further than Avignonesi,” the impressive 93 pt. 2020 Avignonesi Grifi a deliciously rich and complex Tuscan blend reflecting the estate’s meticulous attention to detail at an unbeatable value price |