Principe Alberico Rosso 2020
£66.95
In Stock
“The 2020 Rosso Alberico is dusty and floral. A burst of raspberry and dried strawberry meets complexities of gravel dust, asphalt and sweet rose. The palate is pure elegance, cool-toned and sleek with velvety textures, vibrant acidity and crisp red berry fruits. The 2020 finishes classically dry, leaving a framework of sweet tannins, mineral tones and a blackberry concentration. Drinking window: 2027-2040. 94+ points
In the 1940s, Prince Alberico Boncompagni Ludovisi planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sémillon within Rome’s city limits, introducing organic farming principles in the 1960s and 1970s. The wines became collector favorites before the Prince, for reasons that remain unclear, uprooted nearly the entire estate late in his life. Four rows of old-vine Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and three rows of Sémillon survived. Since 2005, Ludovisi’s granddaughter Alessia Antinori has managed the estate, replanting from massale selections taken from the surviving original material. The portfolio divides cleanly into two tiers. The Antica 400 red and white bottlings come from the replanted plots and offer strong value as the young vines develop. The Rosso and Bianco Alberico are sourced exclusively from the original old vines. The Bianco, a varietal Sémillon, has proven its capacity for long aging. The Rosso makes a compelling case for Bordeaux varieties in Lazio, and the 1986 I tasted for this report is still vibrant. The 2020s show impressive poise for a warm vintage, benefiting from the moderating influence of the Tyrrhenian Sea, just ten kilometers away.”
Eric Guido, Vinous (06/26)
