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BY JIM PETERSON
Wine Enthusiast & Instagram Wine Influencer
Two of the greatest loves I experienced in Italy were the breathtaking views of the Italian countryside and some of the legendary Tuscan wines. How fantastic is it that my introductory wine column in this magazine coincides with a feature article on travel to Tuscany?
While the memories of those spectacular views might fade with time, the wines of Tuscany are always just a corkscrew away. I spent the first part of my Tuscan trip in the Chianti region, staying at an old Antinori family estate converted into a hotel. I woke up every morning to see the vineyards of Tignanello, where grapes are grown for what many consider to be the first “Super Tuscan” wine with that same name.
I spent the second half of the trip in a delightful hotel on the edge of the walled city of Montalcino; a converted olive oil factory of all things. Both locations, along with connections in the wine business, gave me a great opportunity to explore some of my favorite wines and wineries in Tuscany. Having lived in Europe twice, traveling extensively to visit many of the wine regions there, I am often asked which of the many trips was my favorite. Despite the memorable experiences of beautiful places like Burgundy and Champagne in France, my heart is always drawn back to Tuscany.
AN INTRODUCTION TO TUSCAN WINE
In most of Tuscany, the Sangiovese grape is king. Like most European wine areas Tuscany is controlled by several DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) or DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) designations. To place these designations on your wine means you have met the strict rules associated with each. The rules involve multiple criteria like types of grapes used, yield limits, type and length of barrel age, vineyard location, and even alcohol levels. The DOCG criteria is more stringent, and even includes a government seal around the neck of the bottle to prevent counterfeiting. Not surprisingly, many winemakers wished to experiment beyond this, blending other grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah with their Sangiovese. Producers were initially forced to label these wines Vino da Tavola (table wine), the lowest level of classification, but the growing popularity sort of forced the Italian government to create a new classification in 1992 called IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica). This is now the designation you see on almost all of the so-called “Super Tuscan” wines, along with many other types of wonderful red and white Tuscan wines.
For this article I want to focus primarily on Sangiovese wines where the flavor profile can be quite distinctive. There is usually a core of black cherry and tobacco on the nose, sometimes with a little gaminess to it. The color of young Sangiovese is more ruby than garnet, and as it ages a distinct edge of orange will begin to appear. On the palate there can be cherry or other red fruit flavors often supported by hints of tobacco, leather, or even smoke. I always recommend decanting Sangiovese when possible, gently pouring the wine into a suitable carafe or decanter. Decanting wine serves two main purposes. First, it separates the wine from sediment (especially in older wines). Secondly, it helps the wine to open up and breathe, softening the tannins and bringing out the fruit profile to make wine more enjoyable.
PRO TIP: The other critical aspect of enjoying red wine is serving it at the proper temperature. Red wine is meant to be served at cellar temperature, which is 55-60 degrees. Serving it “room temperature” can cause the alcohol to be too volatile. That volatility masks the true aromas and flavors, and this is often the reason so many people say they do not like red wine. If you do not have cooled wine storage, a simple fix is to chill the red wine for 20 minutes before serving it. It makes such a difference.
HIGHLIGHTED WINES OF TUSCANY
When it comes to Tuscan wines, it is impossible not to start the conversation with Chianti. There are four common types of Chianti you may see, and you will want to recognize them because it often reflects the quality and can justify the price of a wine.
• Standard Chianti: Must be at least 70% Sangiovese and aged 3 or more months.
• Chianti Classico: A premium Chianti from the Classico region with at least 80% Sangiovese and aged for at least 10 months. Look for the famous black rooster seal on these bottles.
• Chianti Riserva: Aged for 38 months, which helps soften the tannins prior to release.
• Chianti Superiore (or Gran Selezione): The grapes used are not from within the Classico region, but still must be aged for at least 9 months.
My advice is to look for Chianti Classico wines. The prices for the top producers like Fontodi (my personal favorite) can inch upwards towards $40 or more, but there are many great values to be found. Additionally, the 2015 and 2016 Tuscan vintages were outstanding, so it has become quite easy to find a nice Chianti that is sure to please your palate.
My favorite food pairings with Chianti include pizza or classic Italian dishes with a red sauce. Chianti, for me, is a food wine. Like many Italian wines that same argument can be made for the higher level Sangiovese wines like Brunello di Montalcino.
If you were to look in my personal wine cellar, it would be hard not to conclude that I have a love affair with Brunello di Montalcino. Brunello, made from Sangiovese restricted to a specific area surrounding Montalcino, may be the second-best known wine from Tuscany. When I visited Tuscany in 2002, the legendary 1997 vintage had been released to great acclaim. I was enthralled and made many purchases.
With a little bit of wistfulness, I finally opened the last bottle from my 1997 collection this past Christmas Eve. Brunello is made to age, but with a good decant can certainly be enjoyed when young. Because Brunello is released early in the fifth year from the vintage date, the 2016 Brunellos are just starting to appear on shelves. The 2015 and 2016 Brunello vintages are both every bit the legend of the 1997, and luckily for us they are not hard to find. I strongly recommend these wines! They are spectacular!
One thing to keep in mind is that most Brunello producers have a lesser expensive “Rosso di Montalcino” which can be thoroughly enjoyable and easier on the wallet.
I do not want to spend too much time on the Super Tuscan wines, but they simply cannot be ignored. The first thing to know is that “Super Tuscan” is just a nickname. It is widely applied to all sorts of Tuscan wines, but it is more commonly associated with the “super” expensive red wines like Sassicaia, Solaia, Ornellia, Tignanello, and many more like them. Super Tuscans come in many forms. There are Bordeaux style blends, Sangiovese blends with typical Bordeaux blend grapes or Syrah, and even some single variety wines of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Sangiovese. All of these can be called Super Tuscan at the whim of a producer or professional wine critic. At their best these wines can easily compete with the great wines from anywhere else in the world. In that respect, the top level wines are highly valued by collectors.
TUSCAN WINE RECOMMENDATIONS
As I said earlier, remember to look for the 2015 or 2016 vintages if you can find them. I realize some specific producers I mention here can be difficult to find, so let’s start with two reliable “big house” producers with lineups that span the entire Tuscan wine spectrum.
MARCHESI ANTINORI
The Antinori lineup is astounding in its breadth. From budget friendly wines you can often find in supermarkets to some of the most expensive wines in Tuscany, they are consistently reliable.
Some of my favorites from Antinori include:
Marchesi Antinori Chianti Classico
Badia a Passignano Gran Selezione Chianti Classico
Pian delle Vigne Brunello
Tignanello
CASTELLO BANFI
Originally founded by a New Yorker in 1919, Banfi now exports to over 90 countries. You can even stay in the castle outside of Montalcino! My private tour of the winery operation and lunch at the castle was amazing.
Some of my favorites from Banfi:
Chianti Classico Riserva
Magna Cum Laude & Summus (Super Tuscans)
Banfi Brunello
Poggio Alle Mura Brunello
CHIANTI CLASSICO FAVORITES:
Viticcio Riserva
Felsina Berardenga Riserva
Isole e Olena
Fontodi
Querciabella
BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO FAVORITES
Budget Friendly:
Caparzo
Great Producers:
Argiano
Lisini
Altesino,
Poggio Antico,
Fanti,
Casanova di Neri
SUPER TUSCAN FAVORITES:
All of those mentioned above, plus:
Fontodi Flaccianello delle Pieve
Argiano Solengo, and any wine by Montevertine (they object to their wines being called Super Tuscan, but I must mention this cult-wine producer somewhere)
Cheers!
Follow Jim on Instagram, @tx_wine_pilot, for more wine tips and reviews.
Jim Peterson is a retired U.S. Air Force officer who mainly flew the A-10 fighter jet. He has ties to the wine business going back over 20 years and is an avid wine collector. His extensive wine knowledge includes travel to many wine regions while living in Europe, many tastings led by Master Sommeliers, and ongoing personal wine exploration and self-study. He has cultivated a large following on his Instagram account, @tx_wine_pilot, tasting and reporting on wines from vintage to value. He now works in marketing and resides in San Antonio, Texas.
