Michele and I were amazed when we learned that Rute had won the TreBicchieri Award by Gambero Rosso. We were surprised that Gambero Rosso had decided to reward not only the top Bolgheri wines, such as the Superiors, but also the Reds (the entry level). We are happy with it.
Thus, Rute also enters the group of our wines that have received critical acclaim, after Atis, Jassarte and Criseo. And it made it with a very important prize. It confirms, once again, that our entire production is of great value.
If I have to describe Rute („red“, in Etruscan) in one word, I would say elegance. Unfortunately, this word is very overused, even for wines that are anything but elegant. Elegance is made up of fine and complex aromas, a right concentration that is lightened (but not trivialized) by a great freshness, which translates into gustatory verticality. Rute is a red that also has very good aging potential, which can reach 10 years.
These characteristics arise from the Genius Loci of our vineyards, among the hills of Bolgheri. It is a marine and windy area, a Mediterranean territory. In our hills there are strong summer temperature variations between day and night. Our soils are alluvial, very deep and well-drained.
The quality of a winery is truly measured on the basic wines than the top ones. If they also are good, it means that the vintner are able to work well always, where it is not easy and obvious. And with a pinch of pride, I say that our craftsmanship is always the same: we take care with extreme love of all our vineyards and every batch of grapes that enters the cellar.
Switching from highly aged wines to younger ones should not mean a decline in the quality of the grapes or less well working . It means working differently. Once the most suitable particles of vineyard for one or the other type have been chosen, it means working at best to help the vines find different productive balances, in order to have grapes with different balances and concentrations, perfect for the type of wine they will originate. So it will be in the cellar: there will be different routes, but equally cared for.