• Cabernet Sauvignon,  Exceptional Red,  Italy,  Sangiovese,  Vertical

    Exceptional Red

         Tenuta San Guido 2011 & 2013 Le Difese The Tenuta San Guido is a 7,500-acre estate located in the province of Livorno on the western coastal outskirts of Tuscany near the village of Bolgheri. Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta acquired it through his marriage to Clarice della Gherardesca in 1940. Tenuta San Guido cultivates fruit from several plots scattered around Bolgheri with an annual production of approximately 180,000 bottles. They produce three notable wines Sassicaia, which began in 1944, when Mario Incisa acquired a number of Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc vine cuttings and planted them on a sloping hillside of the San Guido estate, the second wine, Guidalberto, was…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  Cellar Selection,  Italy,  Sangiovese

    Cellar Selection

    Terrabianca 2006 Campaccio Toscana Red In the medieval times, Podere Terrabianca found itself in the ambiguous situation of being situated in the part of the countryside under the rule of Florence and, at the same time, also in the diocese of the Bishop of Siena. The very first documents mentioning its presence, dated 1085, describe it as being a country estate as, in fact, its name clearly implies. Today the winery Terrabianca is located at the heart of the Chianti Classico region, in the middle of Tuscany, 12 km from Siena and 50 km from Florence. The soil which consists of layers of chalk, sand and clay from the palaeozoic…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  California,  Exceptional Red,  Malbec,  Petite Sirah,  Sangiovese,  Sonoma

    Exceptional Red

    Ferrari-Carano 2012 Siena The Ferrari-Carano Winery was founded in 1981 by Don and Rhonda Carano and is located in Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley.  If you enjoy pairing food with wine, be sure to visit the Ferrari-Carano website where Rhonda has a number of recipes.  So if you are adventurous and have a passion for good food and wine, then try some of her recipes. I opened the 2012 Siena, which is a blend of Sangiovese, Malbec, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon.  Deep Ruby color with aromas of red and black fruits and spicy notes.  The palate shows the fruit well as berries and cherries take over with almost a jammy…

  • Cellar Selection,  Italy,  Sangiovese

    Cellar Selection

    Marchesi De’ Frescobaldi 2005 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Castelgiocondo The history of the Frescobaldi family begins around the year 1000, during the same time period as the birth of the banking industry of Medieval Florence.  The Frescobaldi’s quickly became the absolute protagonists of political and economic life earning them the right to the title “Treasurers to the English Crown”.  The family’s start in wine production is documented at the beginning of the year 1300 at the historic estate of Tenuta di Castiglioni in Val di Pesa, southwest of Florence.  From the beginning, the family has demanded that their wines be of quality and that they reflect the uniqueness of their…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  Chianti Classico,  Italy,  Sangiovese

    Exceptional Red

    Terrabianca 2009 Campaccio Toscana In the medieval times Podere Terrabianca found itself in the ambiguous situation of being situated in the part of the countryside under the rule of Florence and, at the same time, also in the diocese of the Bishop of Siena. The very first documents mentioning its presence, dated 1085, describe it as being a country estate as, in fact, its name clearly implies.  Today the winery Terrabianca is located at the heart of the Chianti Classico region, in the middle of Tuscany.  The soil consists of layers of chalk, sand and clay from the Palaeozoic and Mesozoic ages which is the ideal composition to grow grapes…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  Cellar Selection,  Italy,  Merlot,  Sangiovese

    Cellar Selection

    Ruffino 2008 Gold Label Riserva Ducale Oro I recently discussed and reviewed Ruffino 2010 Tan Label Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico, (see June 20, 2014 review). Briefly I mentioned that Ruffino has a long history and enjoys more than a century of fine winemaking in Tuscany. In 1870, two men (cousins) with a common dream founded Ruffino. Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino laid the foundation for what was to become one of the most known and loved Italian wineries in the world. One of the first and most prominent admirers of Ruffino wines was without doubt the Duke of Aosta, who at the end of the nineteenth century appointed Ruffino supplier to…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  Exceptional Red,  Italy,  Merlot,  Sangiovese

    Exceptional Red

    Ruffino 2010 Tan Label Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico Ruffino has a long history and enjoys more than a century of fine winemaking in Tuscany. In 1870, two men (cousins) with a common dream founded Ruffino. Ilario and Leopoldo Ruffino laid the foundation for what was to become one of the most known and loved Italian wineries in the world. In the beginning, Ruffino sourced grapes and wine from the wine farmers of the area, which was then refined in the company cellars at Pontassieve. The meticulous attention to detail and the continuous search for quality which characterized the work of the two cousins formed the basis for the production philosophy…

  • Italy,  Sangiovese,  Weekend Selection

    Weekend Selection

    Crognolo 2011 Tenuta Sette Ponti In the land of Sangiovese and Chianti rises Tenuta Sette Ponti, not far from the historic town of Arezzo, nestled in a picturesque rural landscape, crossed by the river Oreno, the estate received its name from Antonio F. Moretti, who wanted to pay homage to the so-called Road Sette Ponti (Seven Bridges), which connects the banks of the River Arno between Florence and Arezzo.  “You can’t live only of wine”: this could be the motto of Antonio Moretti, who knows how, in the history and Italian culture, there is more than a fruit to harvest.  Not surprisingly, the timeless beauty of the landscape has found…

  • Brunello,  Cellar Selection,  Italy,  Sangiovese

    Cellar Selection

    Renieri – Brunello di Montalcino 2006 Riserva I met the wine maker Marco Bacci, of Bacci Wineries, at a private wine dinner in the home of a large New England wine merchant.  We tasted several of Marco’s wines that night.  His vineyard is high in altitude with iron rich soil, located in the southern part of Montalcino. Most of his wines are reasonably priced as he told me “his focus is to produce the best possible fruit”.  The Riserva I opened recently was one of Marco’s pricier offerings, but well worth it.  100% Sangiovese, the principal grape, was aged in French Oak for 24 months which gives the wine both…

  • Cabernet Sauvignon,  Merlot,  Sangiovese,  Super Tuscan

    Super Tuscan

    Mongrana 2010 Agricola Querciabella I was looking for a Super Tuscan recently.  A “Super Tuscan” is usually the blend of Cabernet / Merlot & Sangiovese.  The blend varies somewhat, but the blend naturally lures the dominance of Cabernet Sauvignon, the fruitiness of sweet Merlot and the grit and pungent taste of Sangiovese, which is the significant grape in this blend.  I absolutely love how the Sangiovese interacts with the Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot and gives these Super Tuscans the unmatched Italian character and flavor.  I came across Mongrana 2010 Agricola Querciabella, which was in the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2013.  I wasn’t “rating shopping” (which I will discuss…