NEARCO SANT'ANTIMO DOC

Col d'Orcia

APPELLATION

Sant’Antimo DOC

GRAPE VARIETIES

50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah

WINEMAKERS

Antonino Tranchida

TECHNICAL DATA

Alcohol
14.5%

2015

95POINTS

JamesSuckling.com

SEPTEMBER 2018

2016

92POINTS

Wine Advocate

JANUARY 2020

Where To Buy VIEW BRAND PORTFOLIO

BACKGROUND

As one of the original estates of Montalcino and now the largest certified organic vineyard in Tuscany, Col d’Orcia is a leader in Brunello di Montalcino helping to define and promote one of Italy’s most prestigious wines. Tradition, integrity, and sustainability are the pillars of the estate, whose classic style wines are marked by balance and elegance.

Nearco is a demonstration of the power, quality and singularity of the Montalcino terroir when planted with international varieties. This Bordeaux blend benefits from the Mediterranean climate of the region, which aids in the structured wines that are also soft and fruity.

TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES

The estate’s name translates to “the hill overlooking the Orcia River,” due to its position in between the undulating hills of the Orcia River and Sant’Angelo in Colle. Here, vineyards are comprised of limestone and marl soils. At 1,500 ft a.s.l., the estate is favorably positioned against Mount Amiata, which helps protect against floods and hail. The climate is typically Mediterranean, with limited rainfall coming in from the Tyrrhenian coast, 21 miles away.

Winter was rather dry with low temperatures in January and February. Spring rains, within the seasonal average, provided the water reserve necessary for the months of July and August. September was temperate with good day/night temperature excursions, allowing a perfect ripeness of the grapes.

WINEMAKING & AGEING

Grapes are hand-harvested and selected based on perfect ripeness, except for the Syrah, where slight over-ripeness is desired to increase the complexity of the wine. The three grape varieties are fermented separately in shallow stainless-steel tanks, designed to extract tannins and color efficiently but delicately.

Each wine is aged separately for 18 months in new 225L French oak barrels (Allier and Tronçais). Once blended, the wine is aged an additional six months in barrel, followed by one year of bottle refinement.

TASTING NOTES

On the nose, spicy notes of Cabernet are complimented by the delicate fruit of Merlot, with hints of Syrah’s clove, and vanilla aromas from barrel aging. The palate demonstrates an impressively structured wine with powerful tannins from Cabernet intertwined with the fresh fruit and softness from Merlot and Syrah.