Crisopa - 2005
Tenuta Grillo
- Region
- Italy » Vino
- Type
- red still, dry
- Producer
- Tenuta Grillo
- Vintage
- 2005
- Grapes
- Freisa
- Alcohol
- 14.5
- Volume
- 750 mL
- Cellar
- not available
Ratings
Initially, it plays the charm card, ushering in a medley of tertiary notes like cherry confiture, tar, leather, dry rose petals, and mushrooms. It doesn't parade complexity, yet it's anything but simple.
But the taste, boy, it's a tannic beast. Despite nearing two decades, it's like a gritty tango with sandpaper, a dried cat's lick. There's a juicy persistence, yes! But it's teetering on the edge of balance, with tannin and ethanol somewhat overplaying their hands.
An hour of decanting was just a tease; this one seems to yearn for an overnight timeout. It's an interesting, albeit abrasive ride.
Tenuta Grillo
Tenuta Grillo was founded in 2002 in Monferrato (Piedmont) by Guido Zampaglione, originally from Campania. His plan was simple—to start small and gradually increase yearly production to 80,000 bottles. But somewhere along the way, Guido realised he couldn't and didn't want to pursue that goal. For him, being fully involved in the winemaking process, including growing the grapes, to create uncompromisingly high-quality wines with strong ageing potential, was the priority. Considering that he enjoys drinking mature wines himself, he releases them onto the market after some decent ageing in bottles.
The vineyards are located in the Monferrato region, near a small village called Gamalero. The vines grow in sandy, quick-draining soil on a gently sloping upland about 350 meters above sea level. The continental climate is characterised by great heat during the day, while the nights are cooler. Wine production is based on low yields and a meticulous selection of the grapes. Winemaking features long macerations (often several weeks), indigenous yeasts, minimal use of sulfur dioxide, and the exclusion of other additives. Ageing primarily occurs in large wooden barrels.