Bodega Aniello Trousseau 2016
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The 2016 Bodega Aniello Trousseau is a pale ruby red color, with aromas of red fruits, orange peel and earthy undertones. Good weight with fine-grain tannins, and a long, fresh finish.
Open at least one hour before drinking.
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This grape originated in Jura in northeast France, between Burgundy to the west and Switzerland to the east; it’s also grown in Spain and Portugal, but we were thrilled to taste this graceful version from the Southern Hemisphere. Made with estate fruit grown in vineyards planted in 1932, it wowed us with aromas of orange peel and cherry pith that lead to a willowy palate on a firm foundation. Grenache-like in color and texture, it offers up flavors of an earthy, leafy nature, with white-peppered cranberry taking the reins. A kiss of rose petal appears on the nimble finish
Other Vintages
2017-
James
Suckling
Bodega Aniello is a small winery looking to explore the value of the ancient winemaking tradition of Patagonia, while keeping contact with the Italian roots of its members. The winery’s CEO, Maria Cruz De Angelis, is a descendant of Raffaele De Angelis, an Italian who made wine in Sorrento a century earlier.
Aniello’s wines fully channel the character of Patagonia in general and Rio Negro in particular. Geographically dynamic, Argentina’s cool climate Patagonia region is a combination of jagged mountains, plateaus, snow, rivers, plains and sea. The eastern bank of the upper Río Negro region is carpeted by sandy, loamy soils. The constant breezes and low relative humidity help keep the Aniello vineyards pest-free. The resulting wines are considered more elegant and refined than many of the more common, warm-weather wines from the Mendoza area.
Indigenous to the Jura region of France, Trousseau is an intensely hued red wine grape that can make powerful wines with aging potential. Parentage analysis shows that it is related to Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Savagnin. Though no one is certain how or why, Trousseau made a long journey west across France and the Iberian Peninsula well over 200 years ago to take a second home under the alias, Bastardo, in Portugal. It is also permitted in the production of Port. Somm Secret—Trousseau also goes by the names, Maturana Tinta, Merenzao and Verdejo Negro.
One of the most southerly regions on the globe for fine wine production, Patagonia has experienced extraordinary vineyard expansion since the early 2000s.
Patagonia vineyards occupy the lower foothills of the Andes at 1,000 to 1,600 feet. Here cold air drops at night from incredibly steep elevations—the Andes reach well over 15,000 feet in this zone—a phenomenon that produces drastic diurnal shifts. Cold nights contrasted with hot summer days produce grapes with striking color, full ripeness, great finesse and aromatic intensity.
Favored for its luxury brands, the Patagonia wine growing region of Argentina focuses on a diverse array of international varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillón and Viognier among the white grapes, and Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon for reds.