Renowned wine critic James Suckling, along with colleague Aldo Fiordelli, recently revisited the coastal region of Bolgheri in Tuscany, where they tasted almost 200 wines, mostly from the 2021 and 2022 vintages. Suckling’s return to Bolgheri, 38 years after his first visit, was met with enthusiasm for the region’s red wines, which have often been compared to those of Bordeaux and Napa Valley due to their reliance on similar grape varietals. However, Suckling believes that Bolgheri’s unique climate and position near the Mediterranean Sea give its wines a distinctive character with cool, herbaceous notes.
During their tasting, Suckling and Fiordelli found that many local winemakers in Bolgheri were moving away from producing wines with high alcohol levels and highly extractive fermentations. Instead, there was a focus on making earlier-drinking yet structured reds, with experimentation in fermentation and aging vessels to create more transparent and refined wines. The 2021 vintage was particularly well-received for its sleek and structured palates, while the 2022 harvest yielded fruit-forward wines with unexpected freshness and lower alcohol levels.
While the Bolgheri region may lack the global recognition of other Italian wine appellations like Brunello di Montalcino or Barolo, Suckling sees potential for Bolgheri to become more widely appreciated if the focus on drinkability and local character continues. He highlights the excellence of Bolgheri’s white wines, particularly vermentino, and praises the region’s unique terroir and Mediterranean influence. By embracing these qualities and maintaining a commitment to quality, Bolgheri wines may soon gain a prominent place on the international wine stage.
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