BATZELLA VOX LOCI

TUSCANY, ITALY 2016

A month ago we brought you an irresistible deal from the rising star winery Batzella — one of our favorite producers in all of Italy, and one of the leading lights of one of our favorite regions, the Bolgheri. Today we're going back to the well to bring you another fantastic deal: a wine that, as Antonio Galloni of Vinous put it, in a 95+ point review rave, "dazzles from start to finish.”

If you have yet to make the acquaintance of the Bolgheri, which Forbes has justly hailed for its "rate of excellence," now's the time — and in our estimation, there's no finer introduction to the region than Batzella, which exemplifies all the character and charm this exalted patch of earth possesses.

Located on the Tuscan coast, just south of Livorno and within sight of the Tyrrehenian Sea, the Bolgheri is somewhat an outlier from the rest of Tuscany, where Sangiovese dominates. Here, the microclimate and soil are uncannily similar to the left bank of Bordeaux. Cabernet varietals thrive. 

It was precisely this quirk of terroir that drew Franco Batzella and Khanh Nguyen to the region. Having met at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., the couple studied wine in Bordeaux and then at UC Davis in California, and arrived in the Bolgheri in 2000. As novices in the wine world, with no family or regional connections, and little in the way of backing, their goal could hardly have been more ambitious: to produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignons. Typically, a dream of that size and scope is realized incrementally and over the decades, but their timetable was sped up immeasurably when the excellent 2013 Tam Superiore drew raves critics from around the globe, almost immediately launching Batzella into the pantheon of Super Tuscan elites.

For Batzella, terroir is king, and what you will taste in its wines, above all, is a distinctive sense of time and place.

This bottling is primarily Cabernet Franc, a varietal enjoying increased attention in recent years. It's easy to understand why when you pop the cork.

On the nose, it is quintessentially Cab Franc, and what delighted us was that it needed no time at all to reveal its richness and depth. On the palate, the surprises kept coming. Robust as it is, with great weight and length, there is, all the same, a considerable degree of finesse, one that gives the wine a wonderful sense of movement and energy.

We were impressed, as well, in our tastings with its structure and acidity, and believe that, as beautifully as it's drinking already, it will only continue to mature in the coming years.

This is a keeper, folks, and at a best price of less than $35, it's awfully hard to not buy it by the case ... or cases.

But hurry; our inventory is limited!

*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Spring 2022. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in MI, NY or TN. This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Sunday, January 23, 2022.