Cygnus Tenuta Regaleali - Tasca d'Almerita 2018

Tenuta Regaleali Tasca d'Almerita 'Cygnus' is a red wine skilful in combining the Mediterranean warmth of Nero d'Avola and the distinctive character of Cabernet Sauvignon, in a rich and harmonious marriage. This label is a tribute to Richard Wagner, the German composer who, in the garden of Villa Tasca in Palermo, completed the third act of his opera 'Parsifal' in 1881, inspired by the swans that lived in the estate's pond.
The 'Cygnus' Tenuta Regaleali by Tasca d'Almerita is made from a blend of Nero d'Avola (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%), varieties cultivated on espalier trellises in the high hills at an altitude between 450 and 900 metres above sea level. The grapes undergo classic red vinification with alcoholic fermentation at a controlled temperature, two weeks of maceration on the skins and complete malolactic fermentation. Once the fermentation processes are complete, the wine spends about 14 months ageing in 225-litre French Allier and Tronçais oak barriques, 30% new and 70% second and third passage.
To the eye, the Sicilian 'Cygnus' blend from the renowned Tasca d'Almerita - Tenuta Regaleali winery has an intense ruby red colour. The aromatic spectrum is vivid and fruity in its hints of ripe blackberry, cherry and raspberry, which merge with deep perceptions of vanilla, tobacco and chocolate, as well as distinct balsamic and Mediterranean scrub puffs. The taste development is powerful and savoury, with remarkable softness well balanced by pleasant freshness and ripe tannins. The finish insists on the fruity and sweet spicy sensations perceived on the nose. Although it is already tasty in its youth, the 'Cygnus' red is capable of withstanding several years of further ageing in the cellar.