Castello di Ama : Haiku 2022

Characteristics and tasting tips for Haiku 2022 by Castello di Ama

Tasting

Appearance
The wine displays a deep purple-red colour, lit up by intense ruby highlights.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with fruity notes of raspberry, blackcurrant and wild berries, subtly lifted by spicy touches of pepper, tobacco and wild herbs.

Palate
With lovely natural freshness, the palate is elegant and very well defined. It shows a clear varietal identity and stretches out into a long, silky-textured finish.

Food and wine pairings
This wine is a wonderful match for roasted or grilled red meats, such as a bistecca alla fiorentina, as well as game served with berry or herb sauces. It also pairs beautifully with slow-cooked Mediterranean dishes or aged hard cheeses such as pecorino.

Serving and cellaring
To fully enjoy this 2022 vintage, serve it at 16–18°C, ideally after aerating it beforehand. Thanks to its firm structure, it has the potential to age for several years in the cellar.

A modern expression of Tuscan wines by Castello di Ama

The estate
Founded in 1976 by four Roman families, the Castello di Ama brand is based in Gaiole in Chianti, in Tuscany. Now run by Lorenza Sebasti and Marco Pallanti, the property covers 260 hectares, 75 of which are planted with vines. A pioneer of the cru concept, the estate stands out for its Equalitas-certified commitment to sustainability and for integrating contemporary art into the heart of a medieval village.

The vineyard
The grapes come from the Montebuoni vineyard in IGT Toscana, from plots lying between 420 and 500 metres above sea level. The vines are planted at a high density of 5,200 vines per hectare on very stony clay-limestone soils, with north-west and south-east exposures. The estate follows sustainable viticulture practices, including mating disruption, ensuring the absence of synthetic chemical residues.

The vintage
The year began with a particularly mild winter. From May onwards, the weather became extremely dry, making it one of the hottest seasons on record. Rain returned in mid-August, yet caused no disease thanks to the excellent health of the grape bunches.

Winemaking and ageing
To craft this wine, each grape variety was vinified separately in stainless steel tanks kept at 30–32°C, using indigenous yeasts only. After macerations lasting 24 to 25 days with manual pump-overs, malolactic fermentation took place in tank. The wine was then blended before being aged for around twelve months in fine-grained oak barriques, 20% of which were new.

Grape varieties
This wine is a blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc.