# Il Guercio (2022)

- **Producer:** Tenuta di Carleone
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** 100% Sangiovese
- **Region:** Toscana, Italy
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €73
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** dark cherry, wild strawberry, dried raspberry, violet, rose petal, dried herbs, blood orange, crushed stone, dark chocolate

## About this wine

Il Guercio, meaning 'The One-Eyed Rascal,' is a distinctive 100% Sangiovese from Tenuta di Carleone in Radda in Chianti, Tuscany. The wine is named after winemaker Sean O'Callaghan, who embraces an experimental approach with this bottling. Tenuta di Carleone, a partnership founded in 2012, is dedicated to restoring a historic estate and crafting wines with a profound respect for Sangiovese, emphasizing elegance and freshness. The grapes for Il Guercio are sourced from high-altitude vineyards, some reaching up to 700 meters, planted on limestone and shale soils. The 2022 vintage experienced a hot and dry growing season, prompting a late harvest to ensure full ripeness. This wine represents a unique expression of its high-altitude terroir, achieved through artisanal winemaking techniques.

## Interesting facts

- Il Guercio means 'The One-Eyed Rascal,' a nickname for winemaker Sean O'Callaghan.
- Grapes are fermented with up to 50% whole clusters, crushed by foot.
- The wine undergoes an exceptionally long maceration period of 4-5 months.
- Vineyards are situated at altitudes reaching up to 700 meters (2,297 feet).

## Food pairing

The wine's high acidity and fine, silky tannins cut through the richness of red meats and game, while its savory notes and dark fruit profile complement earthy flavors and herbs. The long, graceful finish makes it suitable for dishes with complex sauces.

## Wine making process

Il Guercio is crafted using a highly traditional and non-interventionist approach. Grapes are sourced from high-altitude vineyards and are fermented spontaneously with native yeasts, often including up to 50% whole clusters that are crushed by foot in open-top bins. A defining characteristic is the exceptionally long maceration period, lasting four to five months, allowing for significant extraction from the grape skins. Following maceration, the wine is aged for about 12 months exclusively in cement tanks to preserve its freshness and minerality. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration, reflecting a commitment to natural winemaking.