Michele Calò - Cerasa Rosato, 2018
Michele Calò is one of the most respected interpreters of the wine scene in Salento, Puglia. Like many of his generation, Michele emigrated to Milan in the 1950s. A few decades later, he and his sons (Giovanni and Fernando) determinedly came back to Puglia to make wine. The Calò family combines tradition and innovation in their winery. Their wine-making facilities are quite simple but the family is open to modernity.
Michele Calò and his sons are based in Tuglie, deep in the Salento region, a few kilometres from the Ionian sea. There they grow the local grape varieties negroamaro, malvasia nera, primitivo and verdeca.
The Calò winery offers two interpretations of rosato: Mjère (I haven’t tried yet, but it’s definitely on my wine wishlist!) and Cerasa. Cerasa means “cherry” in the local dialect, a clear reference to the bright coral-like colour of this wine. The rosé is made entirely with negroamaro using the traditional “lacrima” (meaning “tear” in Italian) system. The grapes are macerated for 16 to 18 hours. Skin and must is then racked off. Only the free-run juice (the liquid’s best part) is destined for the production of Cerasa. After fermentation, 20% of the wine is matured in small French oak barrels. The remaining 80% only see steel vats.
This rosé’s colour is just beautiful. Rich coral and strawberry hues are brilliant and medium in intensity. To the nose, it’s quite complex, with a concentration somewhere in between medium+ and pronounced. There is a stratification of flavours, from the ripe red fruit aromas to the marked peppery notes and mediterranean shrubs, and even a pinch of blood orange. Rich and crispy notes of red cherry, raspberry and red currant magnificently alternate with sage, majorana, black pepper, bay and grapefruit zest. Framed by hints of toast and sweet spiciness – red spices, cloves, and a subtle suggestion of cedar box. Some flowery nuances (primrose, lilies) add even more complexity. A lovely nose, complex yet integrated.
To the palate, the rosé is at the same time punchy and fresh. More expressive on the palate than on the nose, it shows a remarkable complexity and concentration. The wine has a medium to full body and a great spiciness throughout its alluring aromatic profile. Rich primary flavours perfectly integrate with secondary aromas from wood. Crunchy and ripe red fruit notes (wild red cherry, strawberry, raspberry) mix with a delicate toastiness in the attack. Gradually a great spiciness is unveiled. Fragrances of black pepper, red spices, thyme, sage, wild herbs, blood orange zest explode in the palate. An exuberant richness, yet preserving class and balance. In the mid-palate you can also appreciate a hint of saline minerality and tannic presence that perfectly harmonises with the other components. A splendid long finish underlines the spicy and crispy aromatic character of this buoyant rosé. A great rosé with loads of personality!