Rocca di Frassinello 2019

Characteristics and Tasting Advice for Rocca di Frassinello 2019

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays an intense ruby-red hue, lifted by garnet highlights.

Nose

The nose reveals a complex, fruity bouquet, combining aromas of red and black fruits with pleasant spicy notes. Hints of tobacco and leather add a subtle tertiary dimension.

Palate

On the palate, this wine charms with its immediate roundness and supple, velvety tannins. The structure is well balanced, with fine intensity tempered by invigorating freshness. The finish lingers with elegance, extending the aromatic expression through to the end of the tasting.

Food and Wine Pairings

This Rocca di Frassinello 2019 pairs ideally with braised red meats, beef or lamb roasts, as well as game birds and furred game. It also matches well with aged hard cheeses.

Serving and Cellaring

Rocca di Frassinello 2019 is best served at a temperature between 16 and 18°C.

An Elegant, Well-Balanced Super Tuscan from Maremma Toscana

The estate

Rocca di Frassinello was born from a Franco-Italian partnership between Paolo Panerai, owner of Domini Castellare di Castellina, and Baron Éric de Rothschild of Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite. Founded in the early 2000s, the estate covers 500 hectares, 90 of which are planted with vines in the Maremma area of Tuscany. The winery’s remarkable architecture, designed by Renzo Piano and inaugurated in 2007, makes Rocca di Frassinello an exceptional wine destination. Today, the property is led by Alessandro Cellai as head winemaker, in collaboration with Christian Le Sommer of Lafite.

The vineyard

Rocca di Frassinello’s vineyard benefits from an outstanding terroir located in Maremma Toscana, between Bolgheri and Scansano. The vines are planted on soils rich in galestro, a schist that ensures excellent drainage. Altitude ranges from 90 to 170 meters, and the vineyard enjoys a constant maritime influence thanks to breezes from the Tyrrhenian Sea. This privileged location allows optimal grape ripening, with average temperatures four to five degrees higher than in Chianti, encouraging ideal phenolic maturity while preserving freshness and acidity.

The vintage

The 2019 vintage proved particularly contrasting in Tuscany. A cool, rainy spring delayed vine growth, raising concerns about ripening. However, summer—and especially September—brought sunny conditions with high but never excessive temperatures. Significant day-to-night temperature swings promoted phenolic maturity while preserving acidity and aromatic complexity. Despite the early challenges, 2019 ultimately established itself as one of the most successful vintages of recent years.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for Rocca di Frassinello 2019 are harvested by hand and carefully sorted. Vinification is carried out on a parcel-by-parcel basis, using a gravity-flow approach that preserves the integrity of the fruit. The wine then undergoes aging for around twenty-four months in French oak barrels, followed by eleven months of bottle aging, allowing harmonious tannin integration while maintaining aromatic complexity.

Grape varieties

Sangiovese (60%)
Merlot (20%)
Cabernet sauvignon (20%)