Under review: Principessa Maria, Terre di Pisa DOC Rosso 2019, from Villa Cosmiana

On review today, a bottle that comes to me from Tuscany, Principessa Maria, a Terre di Pisa DOC Rosso from 2019. There is always something moving about seeing an old estate reinvent itself and to be reborn. Why put everything down and start from scratch, when you have such a history to build on?

This is what the new owners of Villa Cosmiana thought about 3 years ago when they acquired it. The estate was then a collection of ruined buildings abandoned for more than 30 years and surrounded by overgrown and almost abandoned vineyards.

It takes a good deal of experience, confidence in the future and an incredible sense of foresight to embark on such an investment. The new owners did not lack any of those and immediately saw the enormous potential of this historic old Pisan estate; they poured out all the energy and passion necessary for its rebirth and, with the help of technicians, craftsmen, and artists, each more motivated than the last, completely restored the estate and brought it back to its former glory.

Between Pisa and Volterra, on a hill near the small medieval town of Peccioli, the ‘new’ Villa Cosmiana now produces around 35,000 bottles per year.

This is precisely one of those bottles that I have in front of me today, a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from which the hand-picked grapes have been carefully selected. The wine matured 12 months in temperature-controlled steel tanks and 6 months in bottle before being named after the last historic owner of the estate, Princess Maria Antinori-Aldobrandini.

The tasting: my impressions of Principessa Maria, Terre di Pisa DOC Rosso, 2019 from Villa Cosmiana

Colour

In glass, the wine, very clean, has a light ruby-red colour.

Nose

An unmistakable cherry scent is followed by notes of blackberries, blueberries and a slight hint of liquorice. The whole thing gives an impression of freshness, red fruit and elegance.

Mouth

On the palate, the wine is fresh and elegant, fruity and harmonious. The tannins are neither green nor harsh, but velvety smooth. The whole thing is balanced from start to finish. The acidity (medium +) has an invigorating note of freshness and gives this seductive, long-in-the-mouth wine the power to invite a pleasant chain of sips.

Still young, it gains a lot from being decanted for an hour to open up and give its full potential.

• Wine name: Principessa Maria, Terre di Pisa DOC Rosso
• Origin: Italy
• Region: Tuscany
• Winery: Villa Cosmiana
• Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
• Year: 2019
• Alcohol: 14 %