W3 Wine School

Carmignano (Italy)

Carmignano DOCG is a "Bordeaux Style" blend of:

Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Canaiolo Nero, and Canaiolo Bianco.

Carmignano Flavors

Carmignano tastes like a classic Bordeaux blend:

Black Currant, Dark Berries and Plum are typical Carmignano flavors.

Dark Floral hints (Violets) and Wet Soil (Graphite).

Black Currant
Black
Currant
Blackberry
Blackberry
Cherry
Black
Cherry
Plum
Plum
Violets
Violets
Pepper
Pepper
Licorice
Licorice
Wet Stone
Wet Stone

Tertiary Flavors from Aging:

Oak
Oak
Vanilla
Vanilla
Toast
Toast
Coffee
Coffee

Carmignano Profile

Carmignano has a classic "Bordeaux blend" profile:

BODY:Full
TANNINS:Medium - High
FRUIT:Medium
ACIDITY:Medium
ALCOHOL:12.5-14% ABV
Temperature Serving temperature:
15-16°C (59-61°F)
Riserva 17-18°C (63-64°F)

Carmignano Food Pairing

Rich Flavors and Tannins make Carmignano a perfect partner to Flavory Dishes.

It also loves Roasted Lamb and BBQ.

Mushroom
Mushroom
Hamburger
Hamburger
Ham
Ham
Soup
Casseroles
Pork
Pork
Lamb
Lamb
Veal
Veal
Beef
Beef

Excellent Pairings

BBQ. Grilled. Roasts.
Roasted Potatoes and Onions.
Grilled Mushrooms (Portobello).
Grilled Veggetables.
BBQ. Chicken. Pork. Rabbit. Game.
Caramel Chicken.
Roasted Lamb. Lamb Chops. Lamb Shank.
Hamburger. Cheese Burger. Bacon Burger.
Red Meat Dishes. Spareribs. Veal Chops.
Pepper Beef. T-Bone. Kobe. Entrecôte.
Filet Mignon. Filetto (Italy). Solomillo (Spain).

The Ideal Glass for Carmignano

The Bordeaux Glass was designed for enjoying fuller-bodied, tannic red wines. They are taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.

The tall size allows the bouquet of the wine to develop, smooth out rough edges, play down tannins, and allow the wine to achieve balance.

The slimmer bowl directs the wine to the back of your mouth for a maximum taste.

If You Like Carmignano

You Might Also Like:

Barolo (Italy)
Cabernet Sauvignon (France)
Dão DOC (Portugal)
Languedoc (France)
Lebanese Red (Lebanon)
Malbec (Argentina)
Nero d'Avola (Italy)
Petite Sirah (USA)
Pinotage (South Africa)
Rioja Reserva (Spain)
Shiraz (Australia)
Super Tuscan (Italy)
Syrah (France)
Touriga Nacional (Portugal)

Super Tuscan

In the 1970s, Tuscan wine producers "invented" the name Super Tuscan for high quality wines using non regional grapes, because the Toscana climate proved to be good for this.

Most of these local blends use an IGT appellation (Indicazione Geografica Tipica).

Some Super Tuscans are based on "Bordeaux Blends" grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

Some are based on Merlot, some contain Sangiovese, and some contain Syrah.

One famous wine, Guidalberto from Tenuta San Guido, is composed of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 10% Sangiovese. Another, Le Difese, is composed of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese.

Super Tuscan DOC(G)

These are the Super Tuscans with a DOC(G) status today:

Carmignano DOCG

Carmignano is a city in Toscana, 16 kilometers northwest of Florence.

Carmignano was identified by Cosimo de Medici (Duke of Toscana) and granted legal protection as a wine producing areas in 1716.

In the 1800s, the region developed a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, long before the invention of the "Super Tuscan" in the 1970s.

Carmignano got DOC status in 1975 and DOCG status in 1990:

Min 50% Sangiovese.
10–20% Cabernet Franc.
10–20% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Max 20% Canaiolo Nero.
Max 10% Local whites:
Canaiolo Bianco, Malvasia, Trebbiano.

Min 12.5% Alcohol. Min 20 months Aging. 8 months in Barrel.

Wine Region Toscana

Toscana is famous for the majestetic city of Firenze

Ponte Vecchio

Ponte Vecchio in Firenze

Black Grapes

White Grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon

65% Sangiovese
  8% Merlot
  6% Cab Sauvignon

Sauvignon

  6% Trebbiano
  3% Vermentino
  2% Vernaccia


Red Wines

White Wines

Red Wine

Chianti
Chianti Classico
Rosso di Montalcino
Brunello di Montalcino
Rosso di Montepulciano
Nobile di Montepulciano
Montecucco Sangiovese
Morellino di Scansano

Super Tuscan:

Super Tuscan
Bolgheri Rosso
Carmignano Rosso
Suvereto Rosso
Val di Cornia Rosso

White Wine

Trebbiano
Vermentino
Vernaccia

Rosé Wines

Sweet Wines

Rosato

Sangiovese Rosato

Fortified

Vin Santo
Aleatico Passito


Soil

Soil

Soft and crumbly, marl-like clay-limestone and dense sandstone in the Apennine foothills.

Sandy clay around San Gimignano.

Gravelly clay and sandy soils in the Bolgheri and Maremma areas.

Climate

Soil

The climate is Mediterranean with dry, hot summers; warm springs; and mild, rainy autumns and winters.

Variations in altitude, exposition, and diurnal temperatures in the foothills contribute to climatic conditions that help balance the sugar, acidity, and aromatics in the grapes.

Coastal areas like Bolgheri and Val di Cornia tend to be more temperate.


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