Recently, a regular and really wonderful customer asked me to recommend a new wine that would be a worthy subsitute to the Collazzi Bastioni Chianti Classico of which he is a huge fan. The La Mozza Aragone came to mind immediately. The La Mozza hails from the Maremma region in Southwest Tuscany along the coast. Maremma was originally a marshy area but through efforts to drain the area starting from the Etruscans and the Roman Empire up to the 20th century, the
land has become a unique agricultural zone next to the Mediterranean sea. The micro climate ensures summer and winter conditions are moderate, with a dry climate and intense sunlight tempered by constant breeze. In terms of wine production, Maremma plays host to top selling (and super premium) wineries such as Antinori and Rocca di Frassinello.
La Mozza was set up in 2000 by Joe (of Masterchef's fame) and Lydia Bastianich together with Chef Mario Batali to proclaim the uniqueness of this place. The Maremma region is home to Sangiovese as well as other indigenous Mediterranean varietals such as Syrah, Alicante Bouschet (a cross of Petit Bouschet and Grenache) and Carignan. Instead of replicating the well established, successful Supertuscan recipe of Sangiovese and Bordeaux varietal blend, La Mozza
focused on crafting a Super-Mediterranean wine featuring Sangiovese with a mix Mediterrranean varietals. The name “Aragone” refers to the Aragonese of Spain, who ruled in the Maremma in the 1500s.
The La Mozza Aragone is a complex wine with multiple layers of flavours. The lively acidic backbone provided by the Sangiovese is fleshed out by opulent red and black fruit notes from the Syrah and Alicante. The alcohol content for the La Mozza Aragone comes in only at 14%, which together with the abundance of fruit flavours suggests that the grapes have had the perfect environment to ripen phenolics fully and evenly, without going into sugar creation
overdrive.
This is one of my go-to wines if I want to impress someone without causing a dent to the wallet. Vivino gives this 4.2/5.0 with special mention that the La Mozza Aragone is 51% cheaper than similar wines. Wine lovers will appreciate the complexity of the La Mozza Aragone. For the casual drinker, the flavour profile is prominent enough to be enjoyed without going into fruit bomb mode.
Here are reviews from wine critics for the unconvinced yet.
"Here's an original wine with a big fun factor. You see it in the wine's appearance that is bright, saturated and luminous. The La Mozza 2015 Maremma Toscana Rosso Aragone is punchy and vibrant with fresh primary fruit that is carefully framed by well-dosed oak. The blend is 50% Sangiovese, 25% Syrah and 25% Alicante Bouschet, and the wine is aged in tonneaux for 18 months. There is a dark, spicy quality and lots of primary fruit that tastes
exceptionally fresh today at the seven-year mark. The fruit comes from a four-hectare site with limestone soils, and some 8000 bottles are released." - RP, 94 points
"Ripe dark berries, pine wood, spices and bark with hints of leather and musk. Full-bodied with creamy tannins and mellow black fruit in the middle. Big and opulent. Long finish. Drink now." - James Suckling, 91 points
OUR DEAL
1 bottle: S$82 (Usual S$99. Saves S$17, 17%) Minimum 4 bottles: S$79 per bottle (Saves S$20, 20%) Minimum 6 bottles: S$75 per bottle (Saves S$24, 24%)
Offer valid while stocks last. Only 120 bottles available for grabs.
Have fun as always!
Best regards, Wong Peng Chung (Kenny) Founder and Chief Wine Drinker
| 
