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Dreams of a Mediterranean island, backed by the warm sun, azure waters, fresh seafood pasta, and a glass of this wine are just what every armchair traveler needs right now.Meet Papio's red wine from Bella Sicilia: "Papios".
In the definitive guide for Italian wines, Luca Maroni rated this wine 98pts, calling it "one of the year's best" from Sicily, and all of Italy in 2019.
The innovative blend combines equal parts of the indigenous grapes Nero d'Avola and Nerello Mascalese with two Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Layers of flavors with blueberry, chocolate, mocha, and baked cherry are topped off with a deft touch of oak, vanilla, and Mediterranean herbs in the finish. The result is a spectacular wine that screams "Delizioso!"
La Bollina Winery is one to watch. This impressive Italian estate is creating innovative, fun, amazing value wines. Thanks to its high quality and uniqueness, this winery has quickly become Luca Maroni's darling, who has blessed it with impressive reviews year after year.
La Bollina is located in Serravalle Scrivia AL, Italy. A municipality in the province of Alessandria, about 62 miles southeast of Turin. This historical territory was for centuries the residence of the Marchioness Figari of Genova. A 300-acre winery, surrounded by hills and chestnut forests is the location where La Bollina's magnificent wines are born.
Besides having 70 acres of cultivated vineyards, and an excellent and well-equipped cellar, in La Bollina you can find luxury accommodation for guests: An “Art Nouveau” style villa, a modern 4-star hotel, and a 9-hole golf course that expands throughout the vineyards. Bollina winery is completely renovated and has some of the most advanced techniques, systems, and instruments in modern winemaking.
Andrea Bernardini, La Bollina's consultant, is a passionate winemaker who has hit numerous home runs. In 2007, he graduated from Pisa, one of the best schools of enology in Italy. He earned his chops at Poggio Bonelli and Ruffino in Tuscany and trained in South Africa, Romania and Greece. After several years of experience, he is now a flying winemaker blending tradition and modern techniques to obtain high-quality wines with respect to the expression of the different grapes and terroir in which he works. He works hand in hand with Alex to produce these magical wines.
Tasting Notes: 25% Nero d'Avola, 25% Nerello Mascalese, 25% Merlot, and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Typical and varietal notes of cherry, mulberry, and raspberry, blended with nuances of elegant spices such as vanilla, coffee, and cocoa. The palate is wide, and warm and envelopes the mouth with grip, elegant and velvety tannins. Fruity and rich aftertaste. Enjoy on its own or comfortably pair with any tomato dish, pasta, puttanesca, or grilled meat.
Bring home a taste of Sicily today!
98pts: "One of the year's best wines in Italy" ~Luca Maroni "I Migliori Vini Italiani 2019"
About the Wine
Chateau Saint Pierre dates back to the 17th century. Henri Martin purchased the classified Fourth Growth Medoc estate in 1982. Henri Martin's family has a long history in the Bordeaux region, dating back more than 300 years. Today Chateau Saint Pierre is managed by Jean-Louis Triaud, who also manages Chateau Gloria and owns the Girondins de Bordeaux, the professional football team of Bordeaux.
The majority of their vines are located near the village of Saint Julien not far from Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou which retails for $200 a bottle. On average their vines are 50 years old. Saint-Julien has the highest concentration of cru classés with 11 over 900 hectares.
Chateau Saint Pierre is one of the few classified growths that does not produce a second wine. With complete focus on the Grand Vin and leading the use of technology in winemaking, it is no surprise this Grand Vin hailed a 'Bravo!' from multiple critics. Chateau Saint Pierre Saint-Julien was one of the first estates to use satellite imagery to help identify when parcels are ready to pick.
Aging: 14 to 16 months in French Oak
Tasting Notes: Red Wine. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Merlot 10% Cabernet Franc. Full-bodied, round, and refined. The nose shows espresso, blackberry, and floral notes.
Reviews
This 17-hectare estate has been rejuvenated by owner Jean-Louis Triaud and is certainly producing some of the top wines from the appellation today. I tasted the deep, inky-colored 2015 Château Saint-Pierre twice and it’s reminiscent of the 2010, only with more elegance. In 2015 the wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc and it spent 14 months in 50% new and 50% once used barrels. Chocolate-covered dark fruits, damp earth, tobacco leaf, and lead pencil shaving-like notes emerge from this huge, concentrated beauty that has building tannin and a huge mid-palate. It’s an incredible wine that builds with time in the glass, has no hard edges, and is going to 3-4 decades of life. Bravo! ~97 Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Saint-Pierre offers more fruit on the nose than the Gruaud Larose with quite fabulous blackberry laced with pencil lead and tobacco. There is real joie de vivre and intensity here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine but quite firm tannin, very well balanced and pure with a gentle but insistent, mineral-driven, quite sinewy finish that is an absolute treat. This comes highly recommended. Tasted twice both in London and Bordeaux at the property. Bravo. ~94 Wine Advocate
This wine has a very toasty style, with spice and wood tannins that give an extracted character with some bitterness. That contrasts with the fruit that is developing, and it seems that the wood will integrate over time. Drink from 2025. ~92 Wine Enthusiast
