A thirtieth harvest and a thirtieth anniversary that can be celebrated with a very special recognition.

The prestigious “Tre Bicchieri” Award was attributed to us by the Gambero Rosso 2020 guide!

One of the most prestigious awards from the nearby peninsula: a real honour!

After 30 years, one of the first wines to be refined in Bordeaux oak barrels, among the best representatives of the territory of Sopraceneri. Thanks to the ageing in French oak barrels for two years, this wine is hallmarked by a pure race with some marked tannins that are smooth and elegant. Some typically mineral, intense and elegant Merlot. Out most representative Merlot that embodies the young and innovative tradition of the Delea Winery. The 2016 harvest produced some Carato that is intense, fruity and silky, very direct on the palate already from the very first sip, sincere and very elegant.

Carato is produced with the very best selection of Merlot grapes from ceps that are over 40 years old. The grapes are cultivated on the hills of the area of Locarno, where the sun shines for many hours during the day and where at night there is a fresh breeze: these conditions are ideal for a perfect maturation. Carato ages for about two years in French oak barrels that in the Italian language are called «Carati». Wine with a great structure that mirrors the territory where it was generated with an intense character, spicy notes, a great aromatic finesse and supreme elegance.

Organoleptic properties:

Ruby red colour with purple reflexes, intense winy fragrance with some hints of vanilla. Slightly spicy with prune and blackberry scent. Full, persistent and rich flavour.

Tre Bicchieri in the Canton Ticino

Many people consider the Canton of Ticino as the territory of Merlot. Today the change in the climate has remarkably changed the ampelographic conditions so that in a few years the territory will be considerably transformed. There are more and more visitors who appreciate the beauty of this area where the vineyards grow not far from the towns and from the lake shores, as well as on the terraced hills and in the valleys. The scenery, that is very suggestive, is enriched by the charm and by the beauty of the grapevines, that contribute to attract the constantly growing tourism.From a geographic point of view, Ticino is divided into two areas: Sopraceneri in the North and the Sottoceneri on the South. Each area presents a different soil and climate.

Tre Bicchieri Award in the Canton of Ticino: Sopraceneri and Sottoceneri

In the northern area, the so called Sopraceneri, the dominating soil is light, with lots of sand and rocks, so that it is very permeable, which presents an important element in an area where there are many strong precipitations. In the valleys the local viticulture becomes even more alpine and spectacular: here the granitic soil produces wine that can potentially mature even longer.

In the southern side, named Sottoceneri, the landscape becomes more Mediterranean, the territory is mostly flat, the soil is heavier and more fertile, rich with limestone and clay.

Award-winning wine. This year the “Tre Bicchieri” awards were divided equally: one went to a winery located in the North of Ticino and the other went to a cellar situated in the South of the Canton. Two awards that reward the value of producers that were capable to interpret the unique characteristics of the territory and of its grapes, in the very best of ways.

The "Castello Luigi 2016" by Luigi Zanini is hallmarked by a remarkably refined body that releases some big emotions and that will release even more after some more aging in the bottle. In the case of Carato Merlot Ticino DOC 2016 by Angelo Delea, it is the strong character and ample bouquet that characterize the wine in a surprising manner, demonstrating that in the area of Ticino there is a constant evolution and growth in the sector of wine production. Year after year, also thanks to the new generations of winegrowers, we are sure that this territory will keep growing with more and more new products, differentiated and innovative.