Winemaker Notes

The 2018 Fianchetto from Firethorn Vineyard is another exquisite wine. It’s a blend of 37% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 28% Cabernet Franc. It has a deep ruby-purple color with a bouquet of ripe black currant, blackberry, black plum, ripe red fruit, violet, gravel, and cigar tobacco. Full-bodied with firm tannins, the palate is very complex with precise notes of cassis, black cherry, gravel, cigar tobacco, incense, espresso, vanilla, and dark chocolate. The finish is very long with well delineated notes of cigar tobacco, violets, cedar, and cassis. Properly cellared, this wine should reach maturity in 8-10 years and drink well for 20+ years.

Technical Details

The wine had a pre-fermentation maceration of 182 hours. 100% native fermentation. The wine was punched down by hand 2 times each day during maceration and fermentation. All individual wine components, including free run and press fractions, were kept separate until final blending.

Elevage was 24 months in 80% new French oak from Troncais. After bottling the wine was aged in our cellar for four years prior to release. No fining agents were employed. The wine was very gently filtered using crossflow filtration. Alc 14.9%, pH 3.58, titratable acidity 5.9 g/L

Reviews

94 Points - The 2018 Fianchetto from Rasa is a mélange of 37% Merlot. 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 28% Cabernet Franc which shows a medium ruby-blue core with a silver-pink rim. It offers up medium to full-bodied notes of cedary herbs, dried rose petals, candied blackberries, crushed pink peppercorns, sweet vanilla, toasted cloves, and wet earth. Seamless and layered on the palate, with fabulous purity and rich tannins, it will drink well now or over the next decade. Jeremy Young, International Wine Report

94 Points - Coming from the Firethorn Vineyard, the 2018 Fianchetto has changed its blending and now is Merlot (37%) with Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) and the remainder Cabernet Franc. The palate comes off a touch lean considering the richness of the vintage. Tobacco leaf, tar, black currants and copious minerals alongside freshly tilled soils all mingle well together on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, with a smooth texture, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2035- Owen Bargreen

Cases - 80