2020 Bella Terra Cabernet “Appassimento”

This is a decadent, grandiose and opulent wine, encapsulating everything you would want from the Appassimento style… and even more! This is over the TOP. I like everything about this wine: rich, ripe, unctuous, full body… this is the quintessential Appassimento. The grapes were dried for 8 weeks and the wine was fermented in French barrels and aged for 34 months in 20% new French oak, which brings extra depth and extra layers, as well as more aging potential.  On the nose, you get the cross-road between the Cab Franc and the Cab Sauv, from pencil lead to blackberry jam, all the way to black forest cake and black cherry. The raisiny aspect of the Apppassimento is also easily detectable with fig jam and chocolate fudge. The palate is velvety, flamboyant and flawless, offering loads of dark fruit flavours like black plum, blackberry and black currant, but also ripe dark cherry, coffee grinds and fig jam.  The never-ending finish is another reason why this wine is so special, offering a blend of oak spices, peppercorn and balanced sweetness. This is a very young wine with tremendous long-term potential. This wine will settle down (oak and tannins) over the next two years and will evolve gracefully for at least another decade. This is the crown jewel of Niagara Appassimento wine! (CWC, Jan 11, 2024)

The Four Mile Creek sub-appellation is known to have higher “degree days” and provides the perfect environment to bring late-ripening varietals to maximum potential. Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Merlot and Chardonnay shine here for the 15 or so wineries in this sub-appellation.

About Bella Terra Vineyards: Growing in Niagara since 1974, Bella Terra sits on a 50 acre vineyard which  was established in 1974 by Lou Puglisi’s dad Giuseppe, an Italian immigrant. Winemaker Fred DiProfio has been working with Lou since the winery first opened to create wines that best express the complexity and high quality of grapes that their vineyards provide each vintage.

About Lou Puglisi: Lou grew up in Niagara and witnessed the rise of the wine industry as we know it today. After winning the prestigious “Grape King” of Ontario in 2008, Lou decided to build his own winery and Bella Terra (formerly known as PondView) was founded in 2010. 

2020 Bella Terra Cabernet “Appassimento” | 55% Cab Franc, 45% Cab Sauv |Ontario, Niagara, VQA Four Mile Creek | 93+-95pts Carl’s Wine Club | $99.95