Rancore is the culmination of a period of seclusion by Andrea Paoletti, the former chief winemaker of the renowned Italian winery Marchesi Antinori! Andrea Paoletti is a famous winemaker from Tuscany (a disciple of the late legendary Italian winemaker Giulo Gambelli), a well-known agricultural scientist, and the founder of Super Tuscan Tignanello, one of Italy's most famous wines. He has also served as a winemaking consultant for many other renowned Italian wines.
Visiting Andrea Paoletti's winery, to put it simply, it's merely a residence, nothing like what one might imagine a winery to be. Behind the house is just a simple shed containing only a few stainless steel and concrete vats used for winemaking. Inside, there's a small room for storing oak barrels—the only air-conditioned place in the entire house. Andrea has mentioned that he would rather forgo his own enjoyment to preserve the wine. If Bordeaux wineries like Valandraud, Le Pin, and La Dome are considered "garage wines," then what technical terms could describe Andrea's even smaller and more rudimentary winemaking place? Having personally visited over thirty or forty different types of wineries in Italy, I've seen everything from small family-run operations to one-man wineries. Stepping into Andrea's backyard, the winemaking area, completely overturned my experience. I never imagined such high-quality Rancore could be produced in such a place.
Or perhaps it perfectly illustrates the saying,
"A master craftsman uses only the simplest tools to create breathtaking works."
Andrea's life dream: To establish his own winery - The birth of Rancore
In 1995, Andrea finally fulfilled his long-held dream: to establish his own winery with his wife, even if it was just one vineyard! Unfortunately, Andrea's wife passed away, leaving him alone. After a period of depression, he rallied and created this wine, using the famous painting "The Scream" as its label, to express this period of his life.
Using the famous European painting "Rancore" as the label, Andrea chose Edvard Munch's masterpiece "Rancore," a masterpiece by the Norwegian painter considered the father of European Expressionism, for the label of his "Rancore" wine. On May 3, 2012, at a Sotheby's Impressionist and Modern Art auction in New York, the 1895 version (third edition) of "Rancore" sold for $119.9 million.
Region
Rancore is entirely Andrea's personal winery, a one-man operation he enjoys after retirement. He prefers to do things his own way and doesn't like others interfering in his "private garden." Even the bottling and capping of the wines are done by him personally, producing only about 5,000 bottles annually. Now, it has a considerable following in Taiwan, Japan, and even mainland China. Given Andrea's advancing age and the lack of a successor for the winery, this exclusive little vineyard is perhaps the final, beautiful chapter in Andrea's legacy in the world of wine, after his flourishing career producing top-tier wines like Tignaello and Solaia. Cherish this old man's hard work and craftsmanship while you drink, because he doesn't own a wine company or a winemaking family; he's just an elderly man living alone, and we don't know how many more vintages of his wine we'll enjoy in the future.
Winemaking
With an annual production of only 5,000 bottles, and infused with his beloved Pinot Noir, Andrea named this red wine, made from Sangiovese, Merlot, and Pinot Noir—a blend with an annual production of only 5,000 bottles—"Rancore." Andrea says, "Sangiovese is undoubtedly the core grape variety of Toscana, so naturally I used it as the main blending variety in 'Rancore,' making up 85%; while 15% Merlot brings a more international flavor, and the remaining 5% Pinot Noir is entirely due to my personal preference for this grape variety."
Tasting Notes:
- After 10 years of aging, Rancore presents a ruby-red color with garnet rims. Upon opening, the aroma is immediately captivating, bursting with notes of black plum, rum, savory, chocolate, and oak. The taste matches the aroma perfectly.
- After one hour of decanting, the most intense aroma is chocolate, with a subtle hint of leather. The palate becomes more exuberant, revealing ripe black cherry, coffee, and licorice, adding layers of complexity. The silky tannins initially hint at Tignanello, becoming more robust and powerful after decanting, perfectly balanced with the acidity and body.
- Surprisingly, the finish is long, exceeding 10 seconds, with notes of chocolate, black plum, and ripe black cherry.
- After tasting it, we believe this wine remains incredibly vibrant, a high-quality wine with excellent aging potential!
