Bertinga Merlot Volta di Bertinga 2016

Bertinga Merlot Volta di Bertinga 2016 is a refined Tuscan red that shows just how elegant Merlot can be in the hills of Gaiole in Chianti. From a single, meticulously farmed vineyard, this wine combines classic Merlot plushness with the tension and savoriness of top Tuscan terroir. The 2016 vintage is widely regarded as one of the great modern years in Tuscany, and this bottling captures that perfect balance of ripeness, freshness and finesse.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, Volta di Bertinga 2016 presents a deep, vibrant ruby core with subtle garnet reflections at the rim, showing the first graceful signs of evolution. The nose opens with pure black cherry and ripe plum, followed by layers of wild blackberry, violet, tobacco leaf and dried Mediterranean herbs. Hints of cocoa, sweet spice and a delicate graphite note emerge with air, adding complexity and depth. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied yet beautifully composed, with velvety tannins wrapped around a core of dark fruit—black cherry, damson and cassis. A lively, Tuscan acidity keeps everything lifted, while savory notes of cedar, mocha, liquorice and a touch of iron-rich earth come through on the long, precise finish. The structure is firm but polished, suggesting several more years of positive development in bottle. Enjoyable now with a short decant, it has the aging potential to evolve gracefully for at least another 8–10 years from vintage, gaining more tertiary notes of leather, truffle and dried flowers.

Production
Volta di Bertinga is sourced from a single hillside vineyard in the heart of Tuscany, where Merlot is planted on rocky, well-drained soils rich in galestro and limestone. The altitude and significant day–night temperature shifts help preserve freshness and aromatics, while the warm Tuscan sun allows full phenolic ripeness. Grapes are hand-harvested in small crates, with rigorous selection both in the vineyard and at the sorting table to ensure only the finest clusters make it into the fermenters. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled tanks, often with a portion of whole berries to enhance fruit purity and texture, followed by a long maceration on the skins to gently extract color and tannin. The wine is then aged in high-quality French oak barriques and/or tonneaux—part new, part used—for extended maturation, allowing the Merlot to gain complexity, polish and integration before bottling with minimal intervention.

Food & Serving
This Merlot is an excellent match for rich Tuscan-inspired dishes such as braised beef, bistecca alla Fiorentina, lamb shoulder with rosemary, or slow-cooked wild boar ragù over pappardelle. It also pairs beautifully with aged pecorino, truffle dishes, mushroom risotto, and roasted game birds. Serve at 16–18°C to highlight both its fruit and savory nuances. Decant for 45–60 minutes if enjoyed now, both to awaken the aromatics and to soften the structure; lighter decanting of 20–30 minutes will suffice as it gains further bottle age.

Producer
Bertinga is a relatively young but highly ambitious estate located in the Gaiole area of Tuscany, an historic zone known for producing some of the region’s most characterful wines. Founded with the goal of crafting terroir-driven, estate-grown wines that can stand alongside the best in Tuscany, Bertinga focuses on meticulous vineyard work and small-lot vinification. Its hillside vineyards, planted on classic Chianti Classico soils, are farmed with an emphasis on low yields and careful canopy management to achieve maximum expression of site. Although still building its legacy, Bertinga has quickly gained attention from critics and collectors for its concentrated yet finely balanced reds—particularly its single-vineyard selections like Volta di Bertinga—which showcase a modern, precise interpretation of Tuscan winemaking while remaining rooted in regional character.

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