Description
Emiliano Falsini, Cabernet Franc “Limite”
Welcome to Part II of Italian Cabernet Franc Day. In case you were wondering, no I didn’t sleep last night. I’ve made passionate cases for Italian Cabernet Franc many times before (including this morning), but past offers would suggest that you still need convincing. Well, if this rendition from Tuscany’s Mediterranean Coast doesn’t do the trick, I’ve got to reconsider whether this is still the right career for me.
There’s plenty of famous evidence for the success of the so-called “Bordeaux” grapes in Tuscany’s star-studded Bolgheri DOCG, and that includes varietal renditions of Cabernet Franc that have netted the gaudiest-possible scores from critics. It’s no easy task to live up to the likes of Le Macchiole’s “Paleo,” or, for that matter, the iconic “Sassicaia” (mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, but distinguished by an appreciable Franc presence), but kudos to Emiliano Falsini: “Limite” is a stellar expression of this woefully under-appreciated variety. Whether it’s Italian, French, American, Chilean, whatever…Cabernet Franc is an intellectual, soulful wine experience. Cabernet Sauvignon is rock and roll. Cabernet Franc is jazz, and in this case, it’s a booming Sonny Rollins saxophone colossus. Think deeply polished Grand Cru Saint-Émilion with a dash of Mediterranean wildness and you’re most of the way there—it’s an experience you won’t soon forget, not least because you’ll be anxious to repeat it. Just 170 cases produced!
With “Paleo” leading the charge, Cabernet Franc has been on the come-up in Bolgheri in a big way. Whereas most of the original “super-Tuscans” were blends (often blends that incorporated some of the local Sangiovese), producers have continued to refine their varietal expressions of the Bordeaux’s Big Three—the two Cabernets and Merlot—to the point where Italian expressions of each rank among the most critically acclaimed and sought-after in the world. The Bolgheri DOC is no longer a new-kid-on-the-block appellation but one of the world’s destination appellations for luxury-tier red wine.
Emiliano Falsini is a well-traveled enological consultant who has crafted award-winning bottlings all over Italy, having worked with the likes of Girolamo Russo and Alberto Graci (Mount Etna, Sicily) and Tabarrini in Umbria. He began producing wines under his own name relatively recently, focusing on the two terroirs he knows best: Mount Etna and the coastal Tuscan town of Castagneto Carducci.
Falsini is working with just one hectare of 30-year-old vines in Castagneto Carducci, farming organically and employing spontaneous, native-yeast fermentations. These fermentations are carried out in open-topped vessels (both concrete tanks and small oak barrels) and typically incorporate 30%-40% whole grape clusters. Aging is carried out in new barrels for 10 months, lending an especially silky quality to the tannins.
Considered an excellent vintage in Bolgheri, 2019 had a cold winter, mild spring, and an easy, steady hot summer and produced wines with pronounced floral aromas. This wine is no exception. It can easily age for another decade and will likely be at its peak in about five years, but it’s already generous and welcoming to drink now. In the glass, it’s a hearty ruby-black with heady aromas of violet, blackcurrant, black raspberry liqueur, tobacco, warm spices, cocoa, and turned earth. It shows a lot of elegance for a relatively big wine, but I’d still recommend a 30-minute decant before serving in large Bordeaux stems at 60 degrees. Ultimately, there are a lot of ways you could go with a food pairing, but why mess with perfection: whatever cut of bistecca you prefer is the way to go. Enjoy!
