Podere Il Carnasciale, Il Caberlot, Tuscany, 2020 (750ml)

92 Points Wine Advocate - Il Carnasciale's 2020 Il Caberlot is a 100% expression of the Caberlot grape that is featured at this estate only. It is reported to be a single grape variety that represents a cross of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. This edition shows green peppery aromas, and the mouthfeel is a leaner, maybe because of rain during harvest. It shows powdery tannins with end notes of spice, sage and dark fruit. Some 3,900 magnums were released.
 

Il Carnasciale is a special estate recognized as the home of Caberlot, a late-ripening grape that shares characteristics with Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The winery counts 5.8 hectares of vines that are mostly Caberlot with 1.2 hectares cut out for Sangiovese. The soils in this part of the Valdarno are loose and sandy with high iron and mineral content. There is some schist and clay as well. The Caberlot was planted in 1985, and the Sangiovese vines are 20 years old. The estate obtained its certificate for organics in 2023.

In terms of vintages, the 2020 season saw lots of rain, and crews were forced to harvest quickly. The Sangiovese was not produced in that year. The 2021 vintage was hot, and the fruit came off the vines earlier than normal.