Tua Rita, Giusto di Notri, Tuscany, Italy, 2022

Overview The Wine
Rita Tua and her husband, Virgilio Bisti, bought approximately 37.5 acres of land in 1984 and planted it with Cabernet and Merlot. They later purchased an additional 17.5 acres of land, bringing the total estate to 55 acres, of which about 45 are planted with vines. The winery released its first vintage in 1992, and soon began receiving praise and accolades from wine enthusiasts worldwide for its rich, full-bodied wines. In just five short years, its 100% Merlot had achieved cult-like status, receiving outstanding ratings from the world’s most prestigious wine critics and publications. Critic Robert M. Parker Jr. said the 1999 Redigaffi was “as close to perfection as a wine can get.” The following year, he gave the 2000 Redigaffi a perfect 100 score. The winery’s Bordeaux blend, Giusti di Notri, also garners near-universal praise. Little wonder that Tua Rita’s wines are considered among the most difficult to find in Italy. Tua Rita is located in Suvereto, a small medieval town in the Tuscan province of Livorno, on the coast south of Bolgheri. The winery lies at just 300 feet above sea level, on clay, silty soil. Luca D'Attoma, the estate’s winemaker, keeps yields to a minimum to ensure concentration of flavors. The estate’s total annual production is currently just 3400 case.

Grape / Blend 
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc

Origin
Tuscany, Italy 

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
Deep purple in color, Giusto di Notri offers abundant aromas of blackberry, plum and currants with underpinnings of coriander, violet and a touch of vanilla. Full-bodied, with ripe, fine tannins, and a silky texture, this is a stunning wine with great aging potential.

Ideal for barbecued ribs, steaks, grilled meats and medium-aged cheeses.

96 Points - James Suckling
Plenty of berry and chocolate fruit with some subtle hazelnut and spice undertones. Dried flowers, too. Medium-bodied with a pretty core of fruit and a savory, succulent finish. Herbs with chocolate at the end. Solid center-palate. 80% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot and 10% cabernet franc. Needs three or four years to mellow, but it’s already very attractive.

95 Points - Wine Advocate
This is a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with smaller parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The Tua Rita 2022 Giusto di Notri reveals an especially creamy and rounded texture that adds to a lovely and long-lasting mouthfeel. There is nothing heavy about the wine, and indeed, this vintage actually feels more streamlined and even a tad shorter compared to other hot-vintage releases of the past. The wine’s appearance is inky dark, and the bouquet shows layers of dark fruit, blackberry, spice and sweet earth.