The 2006 Il Carbonaione is a big, dark wine. Imposing at first, it flows from the glass with tons of super-ripe blueberries, grilled herbs, new leather, spices, minerals and flowers. Today the oak is rather prominent, but all the wine needs is time in bottle to come together. The finish is long, pure and refined. Simply put, the 2006 Il Carbonaione is a gem that readers won’t want to miss. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2026.
Proprietors Vittorio and Jurij Fiore craft one of Tuscany’s most unique wines from their vineyards high in the hills of Greve. Il Carbonaione is 100% old-vine Sangiovese made from the prized Lamole clone, a rare and prized mutation of Sangiovese found only in this part of Greve. The Fiores give Il Carbonaione roughly one year in 350 liter oak barrels (50% new), of which 90% is French and 10% American. Il Carbonaione is one of the most age-worthy wines in Tuscany, and has a track record of developing beautifully in bottle. It remains one of the best relative values in fine, ageworthy wine. My notes from a vertical going back to the first vintage, 1992, can be found on www.erobertparker.com.
A Leonardo Lo Cascio Selection, Winebow, Montvale, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620