2022 Tua Rita Redigaffi IGT

Aromas of crushed fruit and white pepper with dried lavender and hints of violets and sage flowers. Stony undertones, too. Medium- to full-bodied, tight and focused, with reserve and beauty. And then it grows on the palate with polished and focused tannins that take it to another level. Exudes freshness and length, despite the hot growing season. A sophisticated red and with a long future ahead. Try after three to four years.

In 2022, there were six separate harvests for Redigaffi due to rain and the need for strict selection in such a hot year. Textured and silky, bright and saline, it opens with some intense pot pourri overtones and black and blue berries. In the mouth it's more red and blue fruits, sapid and succulent and underlined by wood, coffee bean and petrichor. Perfumed lavender and violet notes soar overhead. Very youthful, give this some time in the bottle before opening to enjoy it at its best.

One of Italy's greatest Merlots, the Tua Rita 2022 Redigaffi is packed tight with sweet fruit, blackberry preserves, sweet spice and toasted oak. This is a fleshed out and generous expression with lots of proverbial fruit stuffing and volume. The oak aging regime includes 80% new wood and 20% neutral oak from various coopers, mostly sourcing from the tonnelleries Orion and de Mercurey. "There is no single recipe. We want to add as many colors to the palette as possible," says proprietor Stefano Frascolla. The idea is to maintain the identity of Merlot, he says, with muscle power and well-integrated tannins. The 2022 vintage accomplishes these goals in a package that is aromatic and rich yet also a little leaner and fresher in terms of finish. The overall message here is elegance.

The 2022 Redigaffi is packed with dark red cherry fruit, plum, blood orange, spice, cedar and new leather. Exotic floral notes develop with a bit of time in the glass. Firm tannins suggest a bit of cellaring is advisable. The 2022 is a terrific Redigaffi.