As one the writeups posted below will mention, this is the 20th Anniversary of this delicious Bolgheri source. It all started with a bang in 1998, kicked of by Hungarian winemaker Tabor Gil who came from nearby Ornellaia to head this new estate. We loved the style of the house from the beginning, with both a very suave top label in Sor Ugo, and a classy and very well priced value bottling Lagone.
As something of a personal interest, we have followed this estate ever since. Admittedly while those earliest efforts were quite seductive, it has been something of a feast or famine kind of label since those early days. One year would be delightful, the next not quite so thrilling. Still, when they were good, they were very good and we always came back to check out the newest edition to see where it landed in the pantheon of this distinctive house. Sadly Tibor Gal’s untimely passing in 2005 ended his development of the project.
The 2016 vintage, created by current winemaker Nicola Scottini, really brought our focus back to this estate although, admittedly, it was a pretty special vintage. We weren’t moved by the 2017s, but the newest versions, from the forward, user-friendly 2018 gave us a golden opportunity to talk about this Tuscan producer again.
The Aia Vecchia Sor Ugo 2018, as blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot that completes malo-lactic in barrel (50% new, 50% once used) where it remains for 18 months, is a lovely effort that really expresses what whole ‘super-Tuscan’ thing is about. Sweet black fruits, some dusty earth tones, smoke and graphite, when these guys are on they can run with the ‘big dogs’ for a fraction of the price.
Antonio Galloni of Vinous tells the story, “The 2018 Sor Ugo is a superb Bolgheri red. Pliant, succulent and so expressive, the 2018 offers plenty of richness, but with terrific energy, too. Black cherry, mocha, spice, licorice and chocolate all build as the 2018 fills out over time. The purity of the flavors is striking…94 points.” It’s everything the review says and, at under $35, it is one of the steals among the whole Bolgheri set.
Even a more remarkable deal is the Aia Vecchia Lagone 2018, their value red. The blend here is 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The fruit comes from both within and outside of Bolgheri, but we dare say when this wine is ‘on’ it is one of the classiest ‘little’ wines around. The 2018 is a beauty, sleek and polished, with a round palate of dark red fruits like plum and cherry flecked with notes of spice, wild herbs and meat.
Galloni was very complimentary, particularly for a wine that sells for under $14, “The 2018 Lagone is a gorgeous wine from this estate in its twentieth vintage. Ripe dark cherry, plum, mocha, spice and licorice all meld together in the glass. The 2018 is succulent and racy, with terrific freshness and tons of style. Lagone is not as flamboyant as it was in the early days, but it still offers tons of immediacy and appeal…91 points.”