Tuscany Premium Mixed Red - 6 Pack Value
$429
$530
Experience the soul of Tuscany in every bottle with our Tuscany premium mixed red - 6 pack value. This exquisite collection offers a tantalizing variety of premium red wines from one of Italy's most renowned regions.
2 x Rocca delle Macie Esperienza Numero 8 Brunello di Montalcino 2017 - Tuscany, Italy
Vivino, Yomme (Five Star Buyer rating) "Stupendous Sangiovese balanced and already with complexity."
Winesearcher "This is more affordable than many Brunello di Montalcino wines. Not as widely known as other Brunello di Montalcino wines. This wine has been becoming increasingly popular over the past year."
Vivino, Boris Kingston (Vivino's N# 3 wine Rater) "Everything you want from a Brunello..... Impressive and delicious. Elegant, integrated barrel and light cherry. Intense and rich bouquet. Palette of rich acidity, marzipan character and juicy, concentrated fruit. Hint of prunes, delichious strawberry, a slight hint of vanilla and a crisp cherry character. And a surprisingly feature of blueberry. Long finish." (2009 vintage)
Winemaker "Intense ruby red, complex on the nose with aromas of plums, ripe black cherries and red berries, well balanced with notes of tobacco and liquorice, also beautiful harmony on the palate, elegant tannins and a long finish, can be stored very well"
Sangiovese 100%
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.
The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).
The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
Brunello di Montalcino is a wine made with 100% Sangiovese with Italy’s highest DOCG classification. Sangiovese is the wine that most wine critics cite to be the best in all of Italy. Brunello di Montalcino is made with a local Tuscan type of Sangiovese referred to as Brunello or Sangiovese Grosso. Some also call it Prugnolo Gentile. Noted for having thicker-skinned berries, and because of this, Brunello produces wines with exceptionally bold fruit flavors, high tannin, and high acidity. The fruit is a contributes to the enduring popularity of Brunello di Montalcino.
1 x Rocca delle Macie Famiglia Zingarelli Chianti Classico Riserva 2019 - Tuscany, Italy
93/100 Luca Gardini
92/100 James Suckling
92/100 wine Spectator
92/100 Natalie Maclean
90/100 Stephen Blandford, The Real Review
90/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics
90/100 5 Stars wine - The book - Vinitaly
Bronze - Robert Parker, wine Advocate
94/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
93/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics (2018 vintage)
90/100 Falstaff (2018 vintage)
Bronze - wine Spectator (2018 vintage)
94/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics (2017 vintage)
93/100 James Suckling (2017 vintage)
91/100 Falstaff (2017 vintage)
90/100 wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
Bronze - Robert Parker, wine Advocate (2017 vintage)
Bronze - wine Spectator (2017 vintage)
Gold - Decanter World wine awards
Gold - Selections Mondiales des Vins Canada
Silver - Mundus Vini
Gold - Mundus Vino (2018 vintage)
Gold - Decanter World wine awards (2018 vintage)
Gold - International wine & Spirit Competition (2018 vintage)
Luca Gardini ''Another great classic from Zingarelli family’s estate, from Castellina in Chianti area. Sangiovese, with Cabernet and Merlot to enrich the blend, berry jam on the nose, with notes of iris and peony. The mouthfeel has iodine-brackish 93 tannins, with floral-fruity return and good persistence.''
James Suckling "Savory plums, mushrooms, leather and spiced oranges on the nose, with a medium-bodied palate rounded by firm but polished tannins. Elegant and refined."
Wine Spectator "Boasts juicy cherry, blackberry, plum, earth and tobacco aromas and flavors, with undertones of leafy underbrush. Firm and balanced, with a lingering aftertaste that echoes the fruit and picks up a mineral note. Sangiovese, Colorino and Cabernet Sauvignon."
Natalie Maclean "...a vibrant, medium-bodied and mouth-watering Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colorino and Merlot red wine blend, aged in French oak barrels for 24 months. Vibrant with dark fruits, plum, cherry, vanilla and toasty oak spice flavours on the palate. Pour with a meaty lasagne.
Stephen Blandford, The Real Review "Garnet with orange/brick edges. The bouquet offers iris and violet perfume with raspberry fruits, clean and fresh if not overly complex. In the mouth there is ripe fruits riding on savoury elements, a thread of saline minerality carrying the wine along, tannins are rusty but fine in texture, the whole lingering pleasantly. An enjoyable drop."
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Slightly cloudy on the nose showing notes of black prunes, crumbled tobacco and leather. Medium bodied, light tannins and a finale of medium length."
Falstaff "Clear garnet red with ruby highlights. On the nose there's aromas of savoury herb and wood alongside red bell pepper and plum jam. Mouth-filling on the palate, with noticeable acidity. Some bitter notes and broad tannins make for a slightly drying finish."
Robert Parker, wine Advocate "This vintage naturally delivers a step up in concentration and flavor, and those characteristics are felt here, although overall winemaking is simple and rather consistent over the years."
James Suckling "Aromas of cherries, red plums, mushrooms, truffles and dried flowers. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins and bright acidity. Layered and textured, with spicy character. It’s balanced and focused with great freshness. Succulent, long finish." (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Extremely intriguing in the mixed floral and fruity profile showing a bohemian energy with notes of pressed red flowers, raspberries, ripe blackcurrants and orange juice. Meduim to full bodied, rounded tannins and a juicy finale which both merchants and consumers will enjoy. Well made." (2018 vintage)
Falstaff "Light, brilliant ruby red. Citrus on the nose, also floral tones, violets, wild berries, then cherry and blood orange again. Fresh and clear on the palate, with crunchy fruit and red berry core, drying tannin then shows in the rear area." (2018 vintage)
Wine Spectator "There's a nice mix between the cherry, plum and berry fruit and savory notes of eucalyptus, juniper and oregano in this red, adding in accents of iron and tobacco for complexity. Just a touch dry in the end." (2018 vintage)
International wine & Spirit Competition "An elegant, stylish and harmonious wine with creamy, ripe black and red fruit; spice and cedar wood flavours supported by ripe, soft tannins. Medium-bodied, sleek and polished, with excellent balance and length." (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "The slight reduction in the glass defines an opalescence that gives intrigue and attracts attention. The hints of black plums, currants and raspberries slowly make their way through the liveliness of the orange juice and reveal the main soul of this young Riserva. Medium-full body, ripe tannins precise in the extraction and a warm and enveloping finish of remarkable beauty." (2017 vintage)
James Suckling "Pretty density to this with blackberries, currants and plums, as well as hints of walnuts on both the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied with creamy tannins and a delicious, succulent finish." (2017 vintage)
Falstaff "Intense bright ruby red. Subtle expression on the nose, light forest and cherry fruit, lacquer, a hint of fine leather, spicy, after a little aeration again fruity with ripe strawberries. On the palate then superficial, ripe red berry fruit, with rich enamel, also powerful, you should put it away." (2017 vintage)
Wine Enthusiast "Crushed berry, botanical herb and baking spice aromas mingle with a whiff of sunbaked earth. The medium-bodied, savory palate offers ripe Marasca cherry, licorice and coffee bean alongside fine-grained tannins." (2017 vintage)
Robert Parker, wine Advocate "From a hot and dry vintage that leans toward darker and more concentrated fruit, this is a mid-weight Tuscan red with dried plum and black currant backed by spice and dry tobacco. The Rocca delle Macìe 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Famiglia Zingarelli does reflect the characteristics of the hot vintage, and it's a little dry and brittle as a result. However, there is enough easy fruit to pair with a grilled steak and pan-fried porcini mushrooms on top." (2017 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Smoky cherry and plum fruit is interlaced with earth, iron and tobacco flavors in this dry red, which turns leaner and more focused on the finish, echoing the earth and tobacco notes and picking up tea and spice accents." (2017 vintage)
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.
The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).
The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."
"Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
1 x Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Riserva Vecchie Viti DOCG 2018 - Tuscany, Italy
93/100 Falstaff
16.5/20 Jancis Robinson
Bronze - Raffaele Vecchione
91/100 wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
90/100 Decanter (2017 vintage)
93/100 Falstaff (2016 vintage)
91/100 Decanter (2016 vintage)
90/100 wine Spectator (2016 vintage)
17.5/20 Vinum wine Magazine (2016, 2017 vintage)
Bronze - Cellar Tracker (2016 vintage)
Gold - Mundus Vini (2016 vintage)
Silver - International wine awards (2016 vintage)
Falstaff "Brilliant ruby red with a sparkling core. In the nose of sour cherries, wild berries and a hint of black pepper, cranberries in the aftertaste. Fresh and balanced on the palate, shows well-integrated acidity, great nerve, balanced, drinks very well" (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Herbaceous in the main profile alternates notes of raspberries, currants, broken stalk and cut grass. Medium body, little extracted tannins and a simple finish that lacks juiciness and smoothness. Probable deviation in the bottle. Drink now." (2018 vintage)
Decanter "a subtle aroma of fresh red berries and spice, followed in the mouth by integrated, chocolatey tannins and tangy red fruit. The mid-palate opens up to reveal chocolate, sweet spices and a dash of black pepper, with black fruit, wood and tobacco notes on the persistent finish, carried by the acidity." (2017 vintage)
Falstaff “Rich ruby with a fine garnet shimmer. Very clear and intense nose, cherries and cloves ripe after cranberries. Firm and substantial in approach and course, shows a lot of ripe fruit, fine-meshed tannin, wrapped in sweet melt, very juicy in the finish.” (2016 vintage)
Castello di Nipozzano is owned by the famous Frescobaldi family – a Tuscan wine producer which can trace its history back 700 years the time of the Florentine Republic. The Castello di Nipozzano, built in year 1000 as a defensive fortress, became the centre of communal life for the village. Today the castle houses the wine cellar, where the estate red wines are produced and cask-aged. Nipozzano also serves as Frescobaldi’s centre for fine food and wine.The estate lies in the heart of the Chianti Rufina area, covering 626 hectares at elevations between 250 and 400 metres. 240 hectares are planted with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The soil, rich in clay and limestone, and its dry, well-ventilated weather compose the ideal terroir for the production of wines that are elegant and well balanced, full bodied, with firm structures to last them over many years.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscans are Tuscany’s best known wines. The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
1 x Tenuta Di Biserno Insoglio Del Cinghiale IGT 2020 - Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
93/100 James Suckling
93/100 Falstaff
91/100 wine Spectator
90/100 Robert Parker
90/100 Vinuos
93/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
93/100 wine & Spirit
92/100 Falstaff (2019 vintage)
91/100 Robert Parker (2019 vintage)
91/100 wine Enthusiast (2019 vintage)
90/100 wine Spectator (2019 vintage)
Super Tuscan
James Suckling "Aromas of currants and ash with some dry earth and fresh herbs. Lavender, too. Medium body. Creamy tannins. Crisp and crunchy finish. Syrah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and petit verdot."
Falstaff "Rich and bright ruby red. In the nose of ripe berries and plums, hint of spice in the aftertaste. Salty on palate, with a fine acid spectrum and well-integrated tannin, harmonious and elegant, long final."
Wine Spectator "Bright, offering blackberry, raspberry, bacon and black pepper flavors. Firm and balanced, with a chalky feel on the finish."
Robert Parker "The entry-level Tenuta di Biserno 2020 Insoglio del Cinghiale is rounded and soft with ripe fruit and sweet cherry flavors. This blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot has background notes of spice and baked biscuit. There is a milky tone as well that recalls the hot growing season."
Superior "... A wine with a strong personality from Antinori's noble forge Tenuta di Biserno. Fresh scent cherries, dense, robust taste with a good structure and length. The tannis are strong, but by no means aggresive."
James Suckling "..Lovely depth of fruit....It’s wonderfully polished and rich with smooth, velvety tannins. A medium-to-full-bodied red with layers of blackberries, blueberries, sandalwood, dried geranium and licorice.” (2019 vintage)
Wine & Spirit "Bold flavors of dark plum and blackberry surge through a smooth, velvety texture in this dynamic and finely knit wine. Dark spice notes enliven the rich fruit as the wine gains layers of fennel and tobacco. Delicious now, the wine has plenty of verve to improve over the next several years."
Robet Parker "...This wine is all about primary fruit intensity, and if fruity freshness is what you're looking for, you get it here in spades.....From the Campo di Sasso vineyard in Bibbona (the village adjacent to Bolgheri along the Tuscan coast), the Tenuta di Biserno 2019 Insoglio del Cinghiale is an easy blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It opens to a bright ruby color and offers dried raspberry, cherry and wild plum. ” (2019 vintage)
Kerin O'Keefe, wine Enthusiast "..It's medium-bodied and smooth, featuring blueberry, blackberry, and star anise alongside polished tannins....A blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, this lithe red has aromas of cassis, blue flower, and oak-driven spice.” (2019 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Bright cherry, raspberry and floral flavors mark this succulent red. It's lively and firm, finishing with a hint of wild scrub and black pepper. Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot." (2019 vintage)
Insoglio del Cinghiale is Biserno's flagship wine. It is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot and is only made in the very best vintages.
Lutz Heimrich "(Founder of Tenuta Di Biserno), Lodovico Antinori is one of the founders of the meteoric rise of Bolgheri wines in the Maremma. He recognized the potential of this region on the hills along the coast of Tuscany at the Tyrrhenian Sea."
Tenuta di Biserno is a renouned Italian wine producer, located on the borders of Bolgheri in Tuscany. The Estate is a collaboration between Marchese Lodovico Antinori, creator of Italian legends Ornellaia and Masseto, his brother Marchese Piero Antinori, President of acclaimed Antinori wines, and legendary oenologist, Michel Rolland. Tenuta di Biserno produces a collection of Super Tuscan wines under the IGT Toscana designation.
Bolgheri is a relatively young yet prestigious Italian appellation in Tuscany that producers many impressive Super Tuscan red wines. Bolgheri is located in the Maremma on the Tuscan coast. It is known mainly for deeply coloured, supple yet ageworthy red wines, usually based on the Bordeaux grape varieties. The winemaking region features sloping coastal vineyards close to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
As recently as the 1970s, the area had little reputation for wine production in contrast to the prime Tuscan vineyards further up in the hills. Then, in 1978, in an infamous blind tasting arranged by Decanter Magazine, the 1972 vintage of a largely unknown wine called Sassicaia, beat a number of top Bordeaux wines. This put Bolgheri on the map and contributed to the regions now international fame.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
Super Tuscan refers to a style of red wine that originated in Tuscany, Italy, in the early 1970s. Many examples come from the region of Maremma, on the Tyrrhenian Sea coast in the southwest of Tuscany. The earliest Super Tuscan wines were high quality red wines made by noble winemaking families that did not fit into the Italian Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) classification system because they used grapes not allowed by the rules of the DOCs in the region.
Super Tuscan wines vary in style, but the influence of Bordeaux is apparent in their use of new oak barrels and French grapes like cabernet sauvignon and merlot in addition to sangiovese, the classic grape of Tuscany. The best Super Tuscans are rich and full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and spice from oak, and can age for decades.
1 x Toscolo Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2016 - Tuscany, Italy
92/100 James Suckling (2013 vintage)
Silver - International wine & Spirits Competition (2012 vintage)
91/100 - Natalie MacLean (2007 vintage)
James Suckling "Full body, some really good depth and definition and a weighty finish. Shows lots of ripeness, but some good complexity with blackberry pastille, dark cherries, licorice, tar and vanilla."
Natalie MacLean "Lovely! Mocha but not too much, just a warming edge along with fleshy black plum. Full-bodied and almost smooth (nothing that 2 hours of decanting can't solve). Layered and delicious." (2007 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Black cherry and violet flavours mark this fruity, straightforward red. Balanced and set for early enjoyment."
Wine Spectator "A smoky graphite aroma leads off, with ample cherry, plum and balsamic notes underneath. Assertive tannins gang up on the finish, but this stays balanced.." (2016 vintage)
Wine Scores "For Bernabei, Reserva's can only be made from old vines. Here, scorched earth, violets and cherry, summer berries, vanilla and cedar appear on the nose. The palate is supple and silky with tobacco, cedar, cocoa and hints of oak. Excellent length and sweet ripe tannins. (2009 vintage)
The winemaker - "The Riserva is exclusively issued in the best years, made from Sangiovese, with touches of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for added body, complexity and a velvety texture. The grapes are grown in the hilly vineyards of the region from ten to forty-year-old vines, which lend complexity and aroma. After a few weeks of maceration, the wine ages in oak for about twenty-four months and then six months in bottle. The result is a red-letter version of a traditional wine with lush aromas of cherry, plum, violet, iris, black pepper, coffee, vanilla and nutmeg confirmed on a full, luscious palate, with a lingering, clean finish"
100% Sangiovese
Toscolo was founded by international wine entrepreneurs, Neil and Maria Empson. The winery produces premium wine in the true Tuscan style. winemaking is overseen by star Italian enologist Franco Bernabei with grapes sourced from the finest vineyards in the region.
The soil and microclimates of the Toscolo vineyards are intriguingly diverse – from compact, very fine-textured limestone at approx. 400-450 meters (1,310 to 1,480 feet) above sea level, to rocky, calcareous clay areas with similar altitudes; and even clayey/siliceous/ calcareous soil at 250-300 meters (820-984 feet) above sea level. Neil is thus able to handpick the best selections according to harvest conditions in the individual vineyards, maintaining consistent quality with each vintage.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs.
Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
The Chianti region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
2 x Rocca delle Macie Esperienza Numero 8 Brunello di Montalcino 2017 - Tuscany, Italy
Vivino, Yomme (Five Star Buyer rating) "Stupendous Sangiovese balanced and already with complexity."
Winesearcher "This is more affordable than many Brunello di Montalcino wines. Not as widely known as other Brunello di Montalcino wines. This wine has been becoming increasingly popular over the past year."
Vivino, Boris Kingston (Vivino's N# 3 wine Rater) "Everything you want from a Brunello..... Impressive and delicious. Elegant, integrated barrel and light cherry. Intense and rich bouquet. Palette of rich acidity, marzipan character and juicy, concentrated fruit. Hint of prunes, delichious strawberry, a slight hint of vanilla and a crisp cherry character. And a surprisingly feature of blueberry. Long finish." (2009 vintage)
Winemaker "Intense ruby red, complex on the nose with aromas of plums, ripe black cherries and red berries, well balanced with notes of tobacco and liquorice, also beautiful harmony on the palate, elegant tannins and a long finish, can be stored very well"
Sangiovese 100%
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.
The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).
The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
Brunello di Montalcino is a wine made with 100% Sangiovese with Italy’s highest DOCG classification. Sangiovese is the wine that most wine critics cite to be the best in all of Italy. Brunello di Montalcino is made with a local Tuscan type of Sangiovese referred to as Brunello or Sangiovese Grosso. Some also call it Prugnolo Gentile. Noted for having thicker-skinned berries, and because of this, Brunello produces wines with exceptionally bold fruit flavors, high tannin, and high acidity. The fruit is a contributes to the enduring popularity of Brunello di Montalcino.
1 x Rocca delle Macie Famiglia Zingarelli Chianti Classico Riserva 2019 - Tuscany, Italy
93/100 Luca Gardini
92/100 James Suckling
92/100 wine Spectator
92/100 Natalie Maclean
90/100 Stephen Blandford, The Real Review
90/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics
90/100 5 Stars wine - The book - Vinitaly
Bronze - Robert Parker, wine Advocate
94/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
93/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics (2018 vintage)
90/100 Falstaff (2018 vintage)
Bronze - wine Spectator (2018 vintage)
94/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics (2017 vintage)
93/100 James Suckling (2017 vintage)
91/100 Falstaff (2017 vintage)
90/100 wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
Bronze - Robert Parker, wine Advocate (2017 vintage)
Bronze - wine Spectator (2017 vintage)
Gold - Decanter World wine awards
Gold - Selections Mondiales des Vins Canada
Silver - Mundus Vini
Gold - Mundus Vino (2018 vintage)
Gold - Decanter World wine awards (2018 vintage)
Gold - International wine & Spirit Competition (2018 vintage)
Luca Gardini ''Another great classic from Zingarelli family’s estate, from Castellina in Chianti area. Sangiovese, with Cabernet and Merlot to enrich the blend, berry jam on the nose, with notes of iris and peony. The mouthfeel has iodine-brackish 93 tannins, with floral-fruity return and good persistence.''
James Suckling "Savory plums, mushrooms, leather and spiced oranges on the nose, with a medium-bodied palate rounded by firm but polished tannins. Elegant and refined."
Wine Spectator "Boasts juicy cherry, blackberry, plum, earth and tobacco aromas and flavors, with undertones of leafy underbrush. Firm and balanced, with a lingering aftertaste that echoes the fruit and picks up a mineral note. Sangiovese, Colorino and Cabernet Sauvignon."
Natalie Maclean "...a vibrant, medium-bodied and mouth-watering Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colorino and Merlot red wine blend, aged in French oak barrels for 24 months. Vibrant with dark fruits, plum, cherry, vanilla and toasty oak spice flavours on the palate. Pour with a meaty lasagne.
Stephen Blandford, The Real Review "Garnet with orange/brick edges. The bouquet offers iris and violet perfume with raspberry fruits, clean and fresh if not overly complex. In the mouth there is ripe fruits riding on savoury elements, a thread of saline minerality carrying the wine along, tannins are rusty but fine in texture, the whole lingering pleasantly. An enjoyable drop."
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Slightly cloudy on the nose showing notes of black prunes, crumbled tobacco and leather. Medium bodied, light tannins and a finale of medium length."
Falstaff "Clear garnet red with ruby highlights. On the nose there's aromas of savoury herb and wood alongside red bell pepper and plum jam. Mouth-filling on the palate, with noticeable acidity. Some bitter notes and broad tannins make for a slightly drying finish."
Robert Parker, wine Advocate "This vintage naturally delivers a step up in concentration and flavor, and those characteristics are felt here, although overall winemaking is simple and rather consistent over the years."
James Suckling "Aromas of cherries, red plums, mushrooms, truffles and dried flowers. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins and bright acidity. Layered and textured, with spicy character. It’s balanced and focused with great freshness. Succulent, long finish." (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Extremely intriguing in the mixed floral and fruity profile showing a bohemian energy with notes of pressed red flowers, raspberries, ripe blackcurrants and orange juice. Meduim to full bodied, rounded tannins and a juicy finale which both merchants and consumers will enjoy. Well made." (2018 vintage)
Falstaff "Light, brilliant ruby red. Citrus on the nose, also floral tones, violets, wild berries, then cherry and blood orange again. Fresh and clear on the palate, with crunchy fruit and red berry core, drying tannin then shows in the rear area." (2018 vintage)
Wine Spectator "There's a nice mix between the cherry, plum and berry fruit and savory notes of eucalyptus, juniper and oregano in this red, adding in accents of iron and tobacco for complexity. Just a touch dry in the end." (2018 vintage)
International wine & Spirit Competition "An elegant, stylish and harmonious wine with creamy, ripe black and red fruit; spice and cedar wood flavours supported by ripe, soft tannins. Medium-bodied, sleek and polished, with excellent balance and length." (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "The slight reduction in the glass defines an opalescence that gives intrigue and attracts attention. The hints of black plums, currants and raspberries slowly make their way through the liveliness of the orange juice and reveal the main soul of this young Riserva. Medium-full body, ripe tannins precise in the extraction and a warm and enveloping finish of remarkable beauty." (2017 vintage)
James Suckling "Pretty density to this with blackberries, currants and plums, as well as hints of walnuts on both the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied with creamy tannins and a delicious, succulent finish." (2017 vintage)
Falstaff "Intense bright ruby red. Subtle expression on the nose, light forest and cherry fruit, lacquer, a hint of fine leather, spicy, after a little aeration again fruity with ripe strawberries. On the palate then superficial, ripe red berry fruit, with rich enamel, also powerful, you should put it away." (2017 vintage)
Wine Enthusiast "Crushed berry, botanical herb and baking spice aromas mingle with a whiff of sunbaked earth. The medium-bodied, savory palate offers ripe Marasca cherry, licorice and coffee bean alongside fine-grained tannins." (2017 vintage)
Robert Parker, wine Advocate "From a hot and dry vintage that leans toward darker and more concentrated fruit, this is a mid-weight Tuscan red with dried plum and black currant backed by spice and dry tobacco. The Rocca delle Macìe 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Famiglia Zingarelli does reflect the characteristics of the hot vintage, and it's a little dry and brittle as a result. However, there is enough easy fruit to pair with a grilled steak and pan-fried porcini mushrooms on top." (2017 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Smoky cherry and plum fruit is interlaced with earth, iron and tobacco flavors in this dry red, which turns leaner and more focused on the finish, echoing the earth and tobacco notes and picking up tea and spice accents." (2017 vintage)
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.
The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).
The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."
"Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
1 x Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Riserva Vecchie Viti DOCG 2018 - Tuscany, Italy
93/100 Falstaff
16.5/20 Jancis Robinson
Bronze - Raffaele Vecchione
91/100 wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
90/100 Decanter (2017 vintage)
93/100 Falstaff (2016 vintage)
91/100 Decanter (2016 vintage)
90/100 wine Spectator (2016 vintage)
17.5/20 Vinum wine Magazine (2016, 2017 vintage)
Bronze - Cellar Tracker (2016 vintage)
Gold - Mundus Vini (2016 vintage)
Silver - International wine awards (2016 vintage)
Falstaff "Brilliant ruby red with a sparkling core. In the nose of sour cherries, wild berries and a hint of black pepper, cranberries in the aftertaste. Fresh and balanced on the palate, shows well-integrated acidity, great nerve, balanced, drinks very well" (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Herbaceous in the main profile alternates notes of raspberries, currants, broken stalk and cut grass. Medium body, little extracted tannins and a simple finish that lacks juiciness and smoothness. Probable deviation in the bottle. Drink now." (2018 vintage)
Decanter "a subtle aroma of fresh red berries and spice, followed in the mouth by integrated, chocolatey tannins and tangy red fruit. The mid-palate opens up to reveal chocolate, sweet spices and a dash of black pepper, with black fruit, wood and tobacco notes on the persistent finish, carried by the acidity." (2017 vintage)
Falstaff “Rich ruby with a fine garnet shimmer. Very clear and intense nose, cherries and cloves ripe after cranberries. Firm and substantial in approach and course, shows a lot of ripe fruit, fine-meshed tannin, wrapped in sweet melt, very juicy in the finish.” (2016 vintage)
Castello di Nipozzano is owned by the famous Frescobaldi family – a Tuscan wine producer which can trace its history back 700 years the time of the Florentine Republic. The Castello di Nipozzano, built in year 1000 as a defensive fortress, became the centre of communal life for the village. Today the castle houses the wine cellar, where the estate red wines are produced and cask-aged. Nipozzano also serves as Frescobaldi’s centre for fine food and wine.The estate lies in the heart of the Chianti Rufina area, covering 626 hectares at elevations between 250 and 400 metres. 240 hectares are planted with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The soil, rich in clay and limestone, and its dry, well-ventilated weather compose the ideal terroir for the production of wines that are elegant and well balanced, full bodied, with firm structures to last them over many years.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscans are Tuscany’s best known wines. The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
1 x Tenuta Di Biserno Insoglio Del Cinghiale IGT 2020 - Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
93/100 James Suckling
93/100 Falstaff
91/100 wine Spectator
90/100 Robert Parker
90/100 Vinuos
93/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
93/100 wine & Spirit
92/100 Falstaff (2019 vintage)
91/100 Robert Parker (2019 vintage)
91/100 wine Enthusiast (2019 vintage)
90/100 wine Spectator (2019 vintage)
Super Tuscan
James Suckling "Aromas of currants and ash with some dry earth and fresh herbs. Lavender, too. Medium body. Creamy tannins. Crisp and crunchy finish. Syrah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and petit verdot."
Falstaff "Rich and bright ruby red. In the nose of ripe berries and plums, hint of spice in the aftertaste. Salty on palate, with a fine acid spectrum and well-integrated tannin, harmonious and elegant, long final."
Wine Spectator "Bright, offering blackberry, raspberry, bacon and black pepper flavors. Firm and balanced, with a chalky feel on the finish."
Robert Parker "The entry-level Tenuta di Biserno 2020 Insoglio del Cinghiale is rounded and soft with ripe fruit and sweet cherry flavors. This blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot has background notes of spice and baked biscuit. There is a milky tone as well that recalls the hot growing season."
Superior "... A wine with a strong personality from Antinori's noble forge Tenuta di Biserno. Fresh scent cherries, dense, robust taste with a good structure and length. The tannis are strong, but by no means aggresive."
James Suckling "..Lovely depth of fruit....It’s wonderfully polished and rich with smooth, velvety tannins. A medium-to-full-bodied red with layers of blackberries, blueberries, sandalwood, dried geranium and licorice.” (2019 vintage)
Wine & Spirit "Bold flavors of dark plum and blackberry surge through a smooth, velvety texture in this dynamic and finely knit wine. Dark spice notes enliven the rich fruit as the wine gains layers of fennel and tobacco. Delicious now, the wine has plenty of verve to improve over the next several years."
Robet Parker "...This wine is all about primary fruit intensity, and if fruity freshness is what you're looking for, you get it here in spades.....From the Campo di Sasso vineyard in Bibbona (the village adjacent to Bolgheri along the Tuscan coast), the Tenuta di Biserno 2019 Insoglio del Cinghiale is an easy blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It opens to a bright ruby color and offers dried raspberry, cherry and wild plum. ” (2019 vintage)
Kerin O'Keefe, wine Enthusiast "..It's medium-bodied and smooth, featuring blueberry, blackberry, and star anise alongside polished tannins....A blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, this lithe red has aromas of cassis, blue flower, and oak-driven spice.” (2019 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Bright cherry, raspberry and floral flavors mark this succulent red. It's lively and firm, finishing with a hint of wild scrub and black pepper. Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot." (2019 vintage)
Insoglio del Cinghiale is Biserno's flagship wine. It is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot and is only made in the very best vintages.
Lutz Heimrich "(Founder of Tenuta Di Biserno), Lodovico Antinori is one of the founders of the meteoric rise of Bolgheri wines in the Maremma. He recognized the potential of this region on the hills along the coast of Tuscany at the Tyrrhenian Sea."
Tenuta di Biserno is a renouned Italian wine producer, located on the borders of Bolgheri in Tuscany. The Estate is a collaboration between Marchese Lodovico Antinori, creator of Italian legends Ornellaia and Masseto, his brother Marchese Piero Antinori, President of acclaimed Antinori wines, and legendary oenologist, Michel Rolland. Tenuta di Biserno produces a collection of Super Tuscan wines under the IGT Toscana designation.
Bolgheri is a relatively young yet prestigious Italian appellation in Tuscany that producers many impressive Super Tuscan red wines. Bolgheri is located in the Maremma on the Tuscan coast. It is known mainly for deeply coloured, supple yet ageworthy red wines, usually based on the Bordeaux grape varieties. The winemaking region features sloping coastal vineyards close to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
As recently as the 1970s, the area had little reputation for wine production in contrast to the prime Tuscan vineyards further up in the hills. Then, in 1978, in an infamous blind tasting arranged by Decanter Magazine, the 1972 vintage of a largely unknown wine called Sassicaia, beat a number of top Bordeaux wines. This put Bolgheri on the map and contributed to the regions now international fame.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
Super Tuscan refers to a style of red wine that originated in Tuscany, Italy, in the early 1970s. Many examples come from the region of Maremma, on the Tyrrhenian Sea coast in the southwest of Tuscany. The earliest Super Tuscan wines were high quality red wines made by noble winemaking families that did not fit into the Italian Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) classification system because they used grapes not allowed by the rules of the DOCs in the region.
Super Tuscan wines vary in style, but the influence of Bordeaux is apparent in their use of new oak barrels and French grapes like cabernet sauvignon and merlot in addition to sangiovese, the classic grape of Tuscany. The best Super Tuscans are rich and full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and spice from oak, and can age for decades.
1 x Toscolo Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2016 - Tuscany, Italy
92/100 James Suckling (2013 vintage)
Silver - International wine & Spirits Competition (2012 vintage)
91/100 - Natalie MacLean (2007 vintage)
James Suckling "Full body, some really good depth and definition and a weighty finish. Shows lots of ripeness, but some good complexity with blackberry pastille, dark cherries, licorice, tar and vanilla."
Natalie MacLean "Lovely! Mocha but not too much, just a warming edge along with fleshy black plum. Full-bodied and almost smooth (nothing that 2 hours of decanting can't solve). Layered and delicious." (2007 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Black cherry and violet flavours mark this fruity, straightforward red. Balanced and set for early enjoyment."
Wine Spectator "A smoky graphite aroma leads off, with ample cherry, plum and balsamic notes underneath. Assertive tannins gang up on the finish, but this stays balanced.." (2016 vintage)
Wine Scores "For Bernabei, Reserva's can only be made from old vines. Here, scorched earth, violets and cherry, summer berries, vanilla and cedar appear on the nose. The palate is supple and silky with tobacco, cedar, cocoa and hints of oak. Excellent length and sweet ripe tannins. (2009 vintage)
The winemaker - "The Riserva is exclusively issued in the best years, made from Sangiovese, with touches of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for added body, complexity and a velvety texture. The grapes are grown in the hilly vineyards of the region from ten to forty-year-old vines, which lend complexity and aroma. After a few weeks of maceration, the wine ages in oak for about twenty-four months and then six months in bottle. The result is a red-letter version of a traditional wine with lush aromas of cherry, plum, violet, iris, black pepper, coffee, vanilla and nutmeg confirmed on a full, luscious palate, with a lingering, clean finish"
100% Sangiovese
Toscolo was founded by international wine entrepreneurs, Neil and Maria Empson. The winery produces premium wine in the true Tuscan style. winemaking is overseen by star Italian enologist Franco Bernabei with grapes sourced from the finest vineyards in the region.
The soil and microclimates of the Toscolo vineyards are intriguingly diverse – from compact, very fine-textured limestone at approx. 400-450 meters (1,310 to 1,480 feet) above sea level, to rocky, calcareous clay areas with similar altitudes; and even clayey/siliceous/ calcareous soil at 250-300 meters (820-984 feet) above sea level. Neil is thus able to handpick the best selections according to harvest conditions in the individual vineyards, maintaining consistent quality with each vintage.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs.
Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
The Chianti region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
Experience the soul of Tuscany in every bottle with our Tuscany premium mixed red - 6 pack value. This exquisite collection offers a tantalizing variety of premium red wines from one of Italy's most renowned regions.
2 x Rocca delle Macie Esperienza Numero 8 Brunello di Montalcino 2017 - Tuscany, Italy
Vivino, Yomme (Five Star Buyer rating) "Stupendous Sangiovese balanced and already with complexity."
Winesearcher "This is more affordable than many Brunello di Montalcino wines. Not as widely known as other Brunello di Montalcino wines. This wine has been becoming increasingly popular over the past year."
Vivino, Boris Kingston (Vivino's N# 3 wine Rater) "Everything you want from a Brunello..... Impressive and delicious. Elegant, integrated barrel and light cherry. Intense and rich bouquet. Palette of rich acidity, marzipan character and juicy, concentrated fruit. Hint of prunes, delichious strawberry, a slight hint of vanilla and a crisp cherry character. And a surprisingly feature of blueberry. Long finish." (2009 vintage)
Winemaker "Intense ruby red, complex on the nose with aromas of plums, ripe black cherries and red berries, well balanced with notes of tobacco and liquorice, also beautiful harmony on the palate, elegant tannins and a long finish, can be stored very well"
Sangiovese 100%
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.
The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).
The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
Brunello di Montalcino is a wine made with 100% Sangiovese with Italy’s highest DOCG classification. Sangiovese is the wine that most wine critics cite to be the best in all of Italy. Brunello di Montalcino is made with a local Tuscan type of Sangiovese referred to as Brunello or Sangiovese Grosso. Some also call it Prugnolo Gentile. Noted for having thicker-skinned berries, and because of this, Brunello produces wines with exceptionally bold fruit flavors, high tannin, and high acidity. The fruit is a contributes to the enduring popularity of Brunello di Montalcino.
1 x Rocca delle Macie Famiglia Zingarelli Chianti Classico Riserva 2019 - Tuscany, Italy
93/100 Luca Gardini
92/100 James Suckling
92/100 wine Spectator
92/100 Natalie Maclean
90/100 Stephen Blandford, The Real Review
90/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics
90/100 5 Stars wine - The book - Vinitaly
Bronze - Robert Parker, wine Advocate
94/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
93/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics (2018 vintage)
90/100 Falstaff (2018 vintage)
Bronze - wine Spectator (2018 vintage)
94/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics (2017 vintage)
93/100 James Suckling (2017 vintage)
91/100 Falstaff (2017 vintage)
90/100 wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
Bronze - Robert Parker, wine Advocate (2017 vintage)
Bronze - wine Spectator (2017 vintage)
Gold - Decanter World wine awards
Gold - Selections Mondiales des Vins Canada
Silver - Mundus Vini
Gold - Mundus Vino (2018 vintage)
Gold - Decanter World wine awards (2018 vintage)
Gold - International wine & Spirit Competition (2018 vintage)
Luca Gardini ''Another great classic from Zingarelli family’s estate, from Castellina in Chianti area. Sangiovese, with Cabernet and Merlot to enrich the blend, berry jam on the nose, with notes of iris and peony. The mouthfeel has iodine-brackish 93 tannins, with floral-fruity return and good persistence.''
James Suckling "Savory plums, mushrooms, leather and spiced oranges on the nose, with a medium-bodied palate rounded by firm but polished tannins. Elegant and refined."
Wine Spectator "Boasts juicy cherry, blackberry, plum, earth and tobacco aromas and flavors, with undertones of leafy underbrush. Firm and balanced, with a lingering aftertaste that echoes the fruit and picks up a mineral note. Sangiovese, Colorino and Cabernet Sauvignon."
Natalie Maclean "...a vibrant, medium-bodied and mouth-watering Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colorino and Merlot red wine blend, aged in French oak barrels for 24 months. Vibrant with dark fruits, plum, cherry, vanilla and toasty oak spice flavours on the palate. Pour with a meaty lasagne.
Stephen Blandford, The Real Review "Garnet with orange/brick edges. The bouquet offers iris and violet perfume with raspberry fruits, clean and fresh if not overly complex. In the mouth there is ripe fruits riding on savoury elements, a thread of saline minerality carrying the wine along, tannins are rusty but fine in texture, the whole lingering pleasantly. An enjoyable drop."
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Slightly cloudy on the nose showing notes of black prunes, crumbled tobacco and leather. Medium bodied, light tannins and a finale of medium length."
Falstaff "Clear garnet red with ruby highlights. On the nose there's aromas of savoury herb and wood alongside red bell pepper and plum jam. Mouth-filling on the palate, with noticeable acidity. Some bitter notes and broad tannins make for a slightly drying finish."
Robert Parker, wine Advocate "This vintage naturally delivers a step up in concentration and flavor, and those characteristics are felt here, although overall winemaking is simple and rather consistent over the years."
James Suckling "Aromas of cherries, red plums, mushrooms, truffles and dried flowers. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins and bright acidity. Layered and textured, with spicy character. It’s balanced and focused with great freshness. Succulent, long finish." (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Extremely intriguing in the mixed floral and fruity profile showing a bohemian energy with notes of pressed red flowers, raspberries, ripe blackcurrants and orange juice. Meduim to full bodied, rounded tannins and a juicy finale which both merchants and consumers will enjoy. Well made." (2018 vintage)
Falstaff "Light, brilliant ruby red. Citrus on the nose, also floral tones, violets, wild berries, then cherry and blood orange again. Fresh and clear on the palate, with crunchy fruit and red berry core, drying tannin then shows in the rear area." (2018 vintage)
Wine Spectator "There's a nice mix between the cherry, plum and berry fruit and savory notes of eucalyptus, juniper and oregano in this red, adding in accents of iron and tobacco for complexity. Just a touch dry in the end." (2018 vintage)
International wine & Spirit Competition "An elegant, stylish and harmonious wine with creamy, ripe black and red fruit; spice and cedar wood flavours supported by ripe, soft tannins. Medium-bodied, sleek and polished, with excellent balance and length." (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "The slight reduction in the glass defines an opalescence that gives intrigue and attracts attention. The hints of black plums, currants and raspberries slowly make their way through the liveliness of the orange juice and reveal the main soul of this young Riserva. Medium-full body, ripe tannins precise in the extraction and a warm and enveloping finish of remarkable beauty." (2017 vintage)
James Suckling "Pretty density to this with blackberries, currants and plums, as well as hints of walnuts on both the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied with creamy tannins and a delicious, succulent finish." (2017 vintage)
Falstaff "Intense bright ruby red. Subtle expression on the nose, light forest and cherry fruit, lacquer, a hint of fine leather, spicy, after a little aeration again fruity with ripe strawberries. On the palate then superficial, ripe red berry fruit, with rich enamel, also powerful, you should put it away." (2017 vintage)
Wine Enthusiast "Crushed berry, botanical herb and baking spice aromas mingle with a whiff of sunbaked earth. The medium-bodied, savory palate offers ripe Marasca cherry, licorice and coffee bean alongside fine-grained tannins." (2017 vintage)
Robert Parker, wine Advocate "From a hot and dry vintage that leans toward darker and more concentrated fruit, this is a mid-weight Tuscan red with dried plum and black currant backed by spice and dry tobacco. The Rocca delle Macìe 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Famiglia Zingarelli does reflect the characteristics of the hot vintage, and it's a little dry and brittle as a result. However, there is enough easy fruit to pair with a grilled steak and pan-fried porcini mushrooms on top." (2017 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Smoky cherry and plum fruit is interlaced with earth, iron and tobacco flavors in this dry red, which turns leaner and more focused on the finish, echoing the earth and tobacco notes and picking up tea and spice accents." (2017 vintage)
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.
The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).
The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."
"Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
1 x Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Riserva Vecchie Viti DOCG 2018 - Tuscany, Italy
93/100 Falstaff
16.5/20 Jancis Robinson
Bronze - Raffaele Vecchione
91/100 wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
90/100 Decanter (2017 vintage)
93/100 Falstaff (2016 vintage)
91/100 Decanter (2016 vintage)
90/100 wine Spectator (2016 vintage)
17.5/20 Vinum wine Magazine (2016, 2017 vintage)
Bronze - Cellar Tracker (2016 vintage)
Gold - Mundus Vini (2016 vintage)
Silver - International wine awards (2016 vintage)
Falstaff "Brilliant ruby red with a sparkling core. In the nose of sour cherries, wild berries and a hint of black pepper, cranberries in the aftertaste. Fresh and balanced on the palate, shows well-integrated acidity, great nerve, balanced, drinks very well" (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Herbaceous in the main profile alternates notes of raspberries, currants, broken stalk and cut grass. Medium body, little extracted tannins and a simple finish that lacks juiciness and smoothness. Probable deviation in the bottle. Drink now." (2018 vintage)
Decanter "a subtle aroma of fresh red berries and spice, followed in the mouth by integrated, chocolatey tannins and tangy red fruit. The mid-palate opens up to reveal chocolate, sweet spices and a dash of black pepper, with black fruit, wood and tobacco notes on the persistent finish, carried by the acidity." (2017 vintage)
Falstaff “Rich ruby with a fine garnet shimmer. Very clear and intense nose, cherries and cloves ripe after cranberries. Firm and substantial in approach and course, shows a lot of ripe fruit, fine-meshed tannin, wrapped in sweet melt, very juicy in the finish.” (2016 vintage)
Castello di Nipozzano is owned by the famous Frescobaldi family – a Tuscan wine producer which can trace its history back 700 years the time of the Florentine Republic. The Castello di Nipozzano, built in year 1000 as a defensive fortress, became the centre of communal life for the village. Today the castle houses the wine cellar, where the estate red wines are produced and cask-aged. Nipozzano also serves as Frescobaldi’s centre for fine food and wine.The estate lies in the heart of the Chianti Rufina area, covering 626 hectares at elevations between 250 and 400 metres. 240 hectares are planted with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The soil, rich in clay and limestone, and its dry, well-ventilated weather compose the ideal terroir for the production of wines that are elegant and well balanced, full bodied, with firm structures to last them over many years.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscans are Tuscany’s best known wines. The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
1 x Tenuta Di Biserno Insoglio Del Cinghiale IGT 2020 - Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
93/100 James Suckling
93/100 Falstaff
91/100 wine Spectator
90/100 Robert Parker
90/100 Vinuos
93/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
93/100 wine & Spirit
92/100 Falstaff (2019 vintage)
91/100 Robert Parker (2019 vintage)
91/100 wine Enthusiast (2019 vintage)
90/100 wine Spectator (2019 vintage)
Super Tuscan
James Suckling "Aromas of currants and ash with some dry earth and fresh herbs. Lavender, too. Medium body. Creamy tannins. Crisp and crunchy finish. Syrah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and petit verdot."
Falstaff "Rich and bright ruby red. In the nose of ripe berries and plums, hint of spice in the aftertaste. Salty on palate, with a fine acid spectrum and well-integrated tannin, harmonious and elegant, long final."
Wine Spectator "Bright, offering blackberry, raspberry, bacon and black pepper flavors. Firm and balanced, with a chalky feel on the finish."
Robert Parker "The entry-level Tenuta di Biserno 2020 Insoglio del Cinghiale is rounded and soft with ripe fruit and sweet cherry flavors. This blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot has background notes of spice and baked biscuit. There is a milky tone as well that recalls the hot growing season."
Superior "... A wine with a strong personality from Antinori's noble forge Tenuta di Biserno. Fresh scent cherries, dense, robust taste with a good structure and length. The tannis are strong, but by no means aggresive."
James Suckling "..Lovely depth of fruit....It’s wonderfully polished and rich with smooth, velvety tannins. A medium-to-full-bodied red with layers of blackberries, blueberries, sandalwood, dried geranium and licorice.” (2019 vintage)
Wine & Spirit "Bold flavors of dark plum and blackberry surge through a smooth, velvety texture in this dynamic and finely knit wine. Dark spice notes enliven the rich fruit as the wine gains layers of fennel and tobacco. Delicious now, the wine has plenty of verve to improve over the next several years."
Robet Parker "...This wine is all about primary fruit intensity, and if fruity freshness is what you're looking for, you get it here in spades.....From the Campo di Sasso vineyard in Bibbona (the village adjacent to Bolgheri along the Tuscan coast), the Tenuta di Biserno 2019 Insoglio del Cinghiale is an easy blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It opens to a bright ruby color and offers dried raspberry, cherry and wild plum. ” (2019 vintage)
Kerin O'Keefe, wine Enthusiast "..It's medium-bodied and smooth, featuring blueberry, blackberry, and star anise alongside polished tannins....A blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, this lithe red has aromas of cassis, blue flower, and oak-driven spice.” (2019 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Bright cherry, raspberry and floral flavors mark this succulent red. It's lively and firm, finishing with a hint of wild scrub and black pepper. Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot." (2019 vintage)
Insoglio del Cinghiale is Biserno's flagship wine. It is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot and is only made in the very best vintages.
Lutz Heimrich "(Founder of Tenuta Di Biserno), Lodovico Antinori is one of the founders of the meteoric rise of Bolgheri wines in the Maremma. He recognized the potential of this region on the hills along the coast of Tuscany at the Tyrrhenian Sea."
Tenuta di Biserno is a renouned Italian wine producer, located on the borders of Bolgheri in Tuscany. The Estate is a collaboration between Marchese Lodovico Antinori, creator of Italian legends Ornellaia and Masseto, his brother Marchese Piero Antinori, President of acclaimed Antinori wines, and legendary oenologist, Michel Rolland. Tenuta di Biserno produces a collection of Super Tuscan wines under the IGT Toscana designation.
Bolgheri is a relatively young yet prestigious Italian appellation in Tuscany that producers many impressive Super Tuscan red wines. Bolgheri is located in the Maremma on the Tuscan coast. It is known mainly for deeply coloured, supple yet ageworthy red wines, usually based on the Bordeaux grape varieties. The winemaking region features sloping coastal vineyards close to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
As recently as the 1970s, the area had little reputation for wine production in contrast to the prime Tuscan vineyards further up in the hills. Then, in 1978, in an infamous blind tasting arranged by Decanter Magazine, the 1972 vintage of a largely unknown wine called Sassicaia, beat a number of top Bordeaux wines. This put Bolgheri on the map and contributed to the regions now international fame.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
Super Tuscan refers to a style of red wine that originated in Tuscany, Italy, in the early 1970s. Many examples come from the region of Maremma, on the Tyrrhenian Sea coast in the southwest of Tuscany. The earliest Super Tuscan wines were high quality red wines made by noble winemaking families that did not fit into the Italian Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) classification system because they used grapes not allowed by the rules of the DOCs in the region.
Super Tuscan wines vary in style, but the influence of Bordeaux is apparent in their use of new oak barrels and French grapes like cabernet sauvignon and merlot in addition to sangiovese, the classic grape of Tuscany. The best Super Tuscans are rich and full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and spice from oak, and can age for decades.
1 x Toscolo Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2016 - Tuscany, Italy
92/100 James Suckling (2013 vintage)
Silver - International wine & Spirits Competition (2012 vintage)
91/100 - Natalie MacLean (2007 vintage)
James Suckling "Full body, some really good depth and definition and a weighty finish. Shows lots of ripeness, but some good complexity with blackberry pastille, dark cherries, licorice, tar and vanilla."
Natalie MacLean "Lovely! Mocha but not too much, just a warming edge along with fleshy black plum. Full-bodied and almost smooth (nothing that 2 hours of decanting can't solve). Layered and delicious." (2007 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Black cherry and violet flavours mark this fruity, straightforward red. Balanced and set for early enjoyment."
Wine Spectator "A smoky graphite aroma leads off, with ample cherry, plum and balsamic notes underneath. Assertive tannins gang up on the finish, but this stays balanced.." (2016 vintage)
Wine Scores "For Bernabei, Reserva's can only be made from old vines. Here, scorched earth, violets and cherry, summer berries, vanilla and cedar appear on the nose. The palate is supple and silky with tobacco, cedar, cocoa and hints of oak. Excellent length and sweet ripe tannins. (2009 vintage)
The winemaker - "The Riserva is exclusively issued in the best years, made from Sangiovese, with touches of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for added body, complexity and a velvety texture. The grapes are grown in the hilly vineyards of the region from ten to forty-year-old vines, which lend complexity and aroma. After a few weeks of maceration, the wine ages in oak for about twenty-four months and then six months in bottle. The result is a red-letter version of a traditional wine with lush aromas of cherry, plum, violet, iris, black pepper, coffee, vanilla and nutmeg confirmed on a full, luscious palate, with a lingering, clean finish"
100% Sangiovese
Toscolo was founded by international wine entrepreneurs, Neil and Maria Empson. The winery produces premium wine in the true Tuscan style. winemaking is overseen by star Italian enologist Franco Bernabei with grapes sourced from the finest vineyards in the region.
The soil and microclimates of the Toscolo vineyards are intriguingly diverse – from compact, very fine-textured limestone at approx. 400-450 meters (1,310 to 1,480 feet) above sea level, to rocky, calcareous clay areas with similar altitudes; and even clayey/siliceous/ calcareous soil at 250-300 meters (820-984 feet) above sea level. Neil is thus able to handpick the best selections according to harvest conditions in the individual vineyards, maintaining consistent quality with each vintage.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs.
Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
The Chianti region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
2 x Rocca delle Macie Esperienza Numero 8 Brunello di Montalcino 2017 - Tuscany, Italy
Vivino, Yomme (Five Star Buyer rating) "Stupendous Sangiovese balanced and already with complexity."
Winesearcher "This is more affordable than many Brunello di Montalcino wines. Not as widely known as other Brunello di Montalcino wines. This wine has been becoming increasingly popular over the past year."
Vivino, Boris Kingston (Vivino's N# 3 wine Rater) "Everything you want from a Brunello..... Impressive and delicious. Elegant, integrated barrel and light cherry. Intense and rich bouquet. Palette of rich acidity, marzipan character and juicy, concentrated fruit. Hint of prunes, delichious strawberry, a slight hint of vanilla and a crisp cherry character. And a surprisingly feature of blueberry. Long finish." (2009 vintage)
Winemaker "Intense ruby red, complex on the nose with aromas of plums, ripe black cherries and red berries, well balanced with notes of tobacco and liquorice, also beautiful harmony on the palate, elegant tannins and a long finish, can be stored very well"
Sangiovese 100%
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.
The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).
The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
Brunello di Montalcino is a wine made with 100% Sangiovese with Italy’s highest DOCG classification. Sangiovese is the wine that most wine critics cite to be the best in all of Italy. Brunello di Montalcino is made with a local Tuscan type of Sangiovese referred to as Brunello or Sangiovese Grosso. Some also call it Prugnolo Gentile. Noted for having thicker-skinned berries, and because of this, Brunello produces wines with exceptionally bold fruit flavors, high tannin, and high acidity. The fruit is a contributes to the enduring popularity of Brunello di Montalcino.
1 x Rocca delle Macie Famiglia Zingarelli Chianti Classico Riserva 2019 - Tuscany, Italy
93/100 Luca Gardini
92/100 James Suckling
92/100 wine Spectator
92/100 Natalie Maclean
90/100 Stephen Blandford, The Real Review
90/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics
90/100 5 Stars wine - The book - Vinitaly
Bronze - Robert Parker, wine Advocate
94/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
93/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics (2018 vintage)
90/100 Falstaff (2018 vintage)
Bronze - wine Spectator (2018 vintage)
94/100 Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics (2017 vintage)
93/100 James Suckling (2017 vintage)
91/100 Falstaff (2017 vintage)
90/100 wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
Bronze - Robert Parker, wine Advocate (2017 vintage)
Bronze - wine Spectator (2017 vintage)
Gold - Decanter World wine awards
Gold - Selections Mondiales des Vins Canada
Silver - Mundus Vini
Gold - Mundus Vino (2018 vintage)
Gold - Decanter World wine awards (2018 vintage)
Gold - International wine & Spirit Competition (2018 vintage)
Luca Gardini ''Another great classic from Zingarelli family’s estate, from Castellina in Chianti area. Sangiovese, with Cabernet and Merlot to enrich the blend, berry jam on the nose, with notes of iris and peony. The mouthfeel has iodine-brackish 93 tannins, with floral-fruity return and good persistence.''
James Suckling "Savory plums, mushrooms, leather and spiced oranges on the nose, with a medium-bodied palate rounded by firm but polished tannins. Elegant and refined."
Wine Spectator "Boasts juicy cherry, blackberry, plum, earth and tobacco aromas and flavors, with undertones of leafy underbrush. Firm and balanced, with a lingering aftertaste that echoes the fruit and picks up a mineral note. Sangiovese, Colorino and Cabernet Sauvignon."
Natalie Maclean "...a vibrant, medium-bodied and mouth-watering Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colorino and Merlot red wine blend, aged in French oak barrels for 24 months. Vibrant with dark fruits, plum, cherry, vanilla and toasty oak spice flavours on the palate. Pour with a meaty lasagne.
Stephen Blandford, The Real Review "Garnet with orange/brick edges. The bouquet offers iris and violet perfume with raspberry fruits, clean and fresh if not overly complex. In the mouth there is ripe fruits riding on savoury elements, a thread of saline minerality carrying the wine along, tannins are rusty but fine in texture, the whole lingering pleasantly. An enjoyable drop."
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Slightly cloudy on the nose showing notes of black prunes, crumbled tobacco and leather. Medium bodied, light tannins and a finale of medium length."
Falstaff "Clear garnet red with ruby highlights. On the nose there's aromas of savoury herb and wood alongside red bell pepper and plum jam. Mouth-filling on the palate, with noticeable acidity. Some bitter notes and broad tannins make for a slightly drying finish."
Robert Parker, wine Advocate "This vintage naturally delivers a step up in concentration and flavor, and those characteristics are felt here, although overall winemaking is simple and rather consistent over the years."
James Suckling "Aromas of cherries, red plums, mushrooms, truffles and dried flowers. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins and bright acidity. Layered and textured, with spicy character. It’s balanced and focused with great freshness. Succulent, long finish." (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Extremely intriguing in the mixed floral and fruity profile showing a bohemian energy with notes of pressed red flowers, raspberries, ripe blackcurrants and orange juice. Meduim to full bodied, rounded tannins and a juicy finale which both merchants and consumers will enjoy. Well made." (2018 vintage)
Falstaff "Light, brilliant ruby red. Citrus on the nose, also floral tones, violets, wild berries, then cherry and blood orange again. Fresh and clear on the palate, with crunchy fruit and red berry core, drying tannin then shows in the rear area." (2018 vintage)
Wine Spectator "There's a nice mix between the cherry, plum and berry fruit and savory notes of eucalyptus, juniper and oregano in this red, adding in accents of iron and tobacco for complexity. Just a touch dry in the end." (2018 vintage)
International wine & Spirit Competition "An elegant, stylish and harmonious wine with creamy, ripe black and red fruit; spice and cedar wood flavours supported by ripe, soft tannins. Medium-bodied, sleek and polished, with excellent balance and length." (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "The slight reduction in the glass defines an opalescence that gives intrigue and attracts attention. The hints of black plums, currants and raspberries slowly make their way through the liveliness of the orange juice and reveal the main soul of this young Riserva. Medium-full body, ripe tannins precise in the extraction and a warm and enveloping finish of remarkable beauty." (2017 vintage)
James Suckling "Pretty density to this with blackberries, currants and plums, as well as hints of walnuts on both the nose and palate. It’s full-bodied with creamy tannins and a delicious, succulent finish." (2017 vintage)
Falstaff "Intense bright ruby red. Subtle expression on the nose, light forest and cherry fruit, lacquer, a hint of fine leather, spicy, after a little aeration again fruity with ripe strawberries. On the palate then superficial, ripe red berry fruit, with rich enamel, also powerful, you should put it away." (2017 vintage)
Wine Enthusiast "Crushed berry, botanical herb and baking spice aromas mingle with a whiff of sunbaked earth. The medium-bodied, savory palate offers ripe Marasca cherry, licorice and coffee bean alongside fine-grained tannins." (2017 vintage)
Robert Parker, wine Advocate "From a hot and dry vintage that leans toward darker and more concentrated fruit, this is a mid-weight Tuscan red with dried plum and black currant backed by spice and dry tobacco. The Rocca delle Macìe 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva Famiglia Zingarelli does reflect the characteristics of the hot vintage, and it's a little dry and brittle as a result. However, there is enough easy fruit to pair with a grilled steak and pan-fried porcini mushrooms on top." (2017 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Smoky cherry and plum fruit is interlaced with earth, iron and tobacco flavors in this dry red, which turns leaner and more focused on the finish, echoing the earth and tobacco notes and picking up tea and spice accents." (2017 vintage)
Rocca delle Macìe was established in 1973, when film producer Italo Zingarelli – of Ettore Scola’s “We All Loved Each Other So Much” fame, and also the wildly popular series of films featuring comedy duo Bud Spencer and Terence Hill (including “They Call Me Trinity” and “Trinity Is Still My Name”) – decided to realize his lifelong dream by acquiring the “Le Macìe” estate – extending across 93 hectares (230 acres) in all, of which only two were under vine – in order to create a winery in the heart of the Chianti Classico zone.
The estate now extends to more than 500 hectares (1250 acres) with, in total, more than 200 (500 acres) used as vineyards and 22 (54 acres) as olive groves, subdivided across the company’s six estates: Le Macìe, Sant’Alfonso, Fizzano e le Tavolelle in the Chianti Classico Area, in addition to the Campomaccione and Casa Maria estates in the Morellino di Scansano Area (Maremma).
The Chianti region in Italy's Tuscany wine growing region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna."
"Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
1 x Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Riserva Vecchie Viti DOCG 2018 - Tuscany, Italy
93/100 Falstaff
16.5/20 Jancis Robinson
Bronze - Raffaele Vecchione
91/100 wine Enthusiast (2017 vintage)
90/100 Decanter (2017 vintage)
93/100 Falstaff (2016 vintage)
91/100 Decanter (2016 vintage)
90/100 wine Spectator (2016 vintage)
17.5/20 Vinum wine Magazine (2016, 2017 vintage)
Bronze - Cellar Tracker (2016 vintage)
Gold - Mundus Vini (2016 vintage)
Silver - International wine awards (2016 vintage)
Falstaff "Brilliant ruby red with a sparkling core. In the nose of sour cherries, wild berries and a hint of black pepper, cranberries in the aftertaste. Fresh and balanced on the palate, shows well-integrated acidity, great nerve, balanced, drinks very well" (2018 vintage)
Raffaele Vecchione, wine Critics "Herbaceous in the main profile alternates notes of raspberries, currants, broken stalk and cut grass. Medium body, little extracted tannins and a simple finish that lacks juiciness and smoothness. Probable deviation in the bottle. Drink now." (2018 vintage)
Decanter "a subtle aroma of fresh red berries and spice, followed in the mouth by integrated, chocolatey tannins and tangy red fruit. The mid-palate opens up to reveal chocolate, sweet spices and a dash of black pepper, with black fruit, wood and tobacco notes on the persistent finish, carried by the acidity." (2017 vintage)
Falstaff “Rich ruby with a fine garnet shimmer. Very clear and intense nose, cherries and cloves ripe after cranberries. Firm and substantial in approach and course, shows a lot of ripe fruit, fine-meshed tannin, wrapped in sweet melt, very juicy in the finish.” (2016 vintage)
Castello di Nipozzano is owned by the famous Frescobaldi family – a Tuscan wine producer which can trace its history back 700 years the time of the Florentine Republic. The Castello di Nipozzano, built in year 1000 as a defensive fortress, became the centre of communal life for the village. Today the castle houses the wine cellar, where the estate red wines are produced and cask-aged. Nipozzano also serves as Frescobaldi’s centre for fine food and wine.The estate lies in the heart of the Chianti Rufina area, covering 626 hectares at elevations between 250 and 400 metres. 240 hectares are planted with Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. The soil, rich in clay and limestone, and its dry, well-ventilated weather compose the ideal terroir for the production of wines that are elegant and well balanced, full bodied, with firm structures to last them over many years.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscans are Tuscany’s best known wines. The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.
1 x Tenuta Di Biserno Insoglio Del Cinghiale IGT 2020 - Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy
93/100 James Suckling
93/100 Falstaff
91/100 wine Spectator
90/100 Robert Parker
90/100 Vinuos
93/100 James Suckling (2019 vintage)
93/100 wine & Spirit
92/100 Falstaff (2019 vintage)
91/100 Robert Parker (2019 vintage)
91/100 wine Enthusiast (2019 vintage)
90/100 wine Spectator (2019 vintage)
Super Tuscan
James Suckling "Aromas of currants and ash with some dry earth and fresh herbs. Lavender, too. Medium body. Creamy tannins. Crisp and crunchy finish. Syrah, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and petit verdot."
Falstaff "Rich and bright ruby red. In the nose of ripe berries and plums, hint of spice in the aftertaste. Salty on palate, with a fine acid spectrum and well-integrated tannin, harmonious and elegant, long final."
Wine Spectator "Bright, offering blackberry, raspberry, bacon and black pepper flavors. Firm and balanced, with a chalky feel on the finish."
Robert Parker "The entry-level Tenuta di Biserno 2020 Insoglio del Cinghiale is rounded and soft with ripe fruit and sweet cherry flavors. This blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot has background notes of spice and baked biscuit. There is a milky tone as well that recalls the hot growing season."
Superior "... A wine with a strong personality from Antinori's noble forge Tenuta di Biserno. Fresh scent cherries, dense, robust taste with a good structure and length. The tannis are strong, but by no means aggresive."
James Suckling "..Lovely depth of fruit....It’s wonderfully polished and rich with smooth, velvety tannins. A medium-to-full-bodied red with layers of blackberries, blueberries, sandalwood, dried geranium and licorice.” (2019 vintage)
Wine & Spirit "Bold flavors of dark plum and blackberry surge through a smooth, velvety texture in this dynamic and finely knit wine. Dark spice notes enliven the rich fruit as the wine gains layers of fennel and tobacco. Delicious now, the wine has plenty of verve to improve over the next several years."
Robet Parker "...This wine is all about primary fruit intensity, and if fruity freshness is what you're looking for, you get it here in spades.....From the Campo di Sasso vineyard in Bibbona (the village adjacent to Bolgheri along the Tuscan coast), the Tenuta di Biserno 2019 Insoglio del Cinghiale is an easy blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It opens to a bright ruby color and offers dried raspberry, cherry and wild plum. ” (2019 vintage)
Kerin O'Keefe, wine Enthusiast "..It's medium-bodied and smooth, featuring blueberry, blackberry, and star anise alongside polished tannins....A blend of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot, this lithe red has aromas of cassis, blue flower, and oak-driven spice.” (2019 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Bright cherry, raspberry and floral flavors mark this succulent red. It's lively and firm, finishing with a hint of wild scrub and black pepper. Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot." (2019 vintage)
Insoglio del Cinghiale is Biserno's flagship wine. It is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Petit Verdot and is only made in the very best vintages.
Lutz Heimrich "(Founder of Tenuta Di Biserno), Lodovico Antinori is one of the founders of the meteoric rise of Bolgheri wines in the Maremma. He recognized the potential of this region on the hills along the coast of Tuscany at the Tyrrhenian Sea."
Tenuta di Biserno is a renouned Italian wine producer, located on the borders of Bolgheri in Tuscany. The Estate is a collaboration between Marchese Lodovico Antinori, creator of Italian legends Ornellaia and Masseto, his brother Marchese Piero Antinori, President of acclaimed Antinori wines, and legendary oenologist, Michel Rolland. Tenuta di Biserno produces a collection of Super Tuscan wines under the IGT Toscana designation.
Bolgheri is a relatively young yet prestigious Italian appellation in Tuscany that producers many impressive Super Tuscan red wines. Bolgheri is located in the Maremma on the Tuscan coast. It is known mainly for deeply coloured, supple yet ageworthy red wines, usually based on the Bordeaux grape varieties. The winemaking region features sloping coastal vineyards close to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
As recently as the 1970s, the area had little reputation for wine production in contrast to the prime Tuscan vineyards further up in the hills. Then, in 1978, in an infamous blind tasting arranged by Decanter Magazine, the 1972 vintage of a largely unknown wine called Sassicaia, beat a number of top Bordeaux wines. This put Bolgheri on the map and contributed to the regions now international fame.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs. Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
Super Tuscan refers to a style of red wine that originated in Tuscany, Italy, in the early 1970s. Many examples come from the region of Maremma, on the Tyrrhenian Sea coast in the southwest of Tuscany. The earliest Super Tuscan wines were high quality red wines made by noble winemaking families that did not fit into the Italian Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) classification system because they used grapes not allowed by the rules of the DOCs in the region.
Super Tuscan wines vary in style, but the influence of Bordeaux is apparent in their use of new oak barrels and French grapes like cabernet sauvignon and merlot in addition to sangiovese, the classic grape of Tuscany. The best Super Tuscans are rich and full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and spice from oak, and can age for decades.
1 x Toscolo Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2016 - Tuscany, Italy
92/100 James Suckling (2013 vintage)
Silver - International wine & Spirits Competition (2012 vintage)
91/100 - Natalie MacLean (2007 vintage)
James Suckling "Full body, some really good depth and definition and a weighty finish. Shows lots of ripeness, but some good complexity with blackberry pastille, dark cherries, licorice, tar and vanilla."
Natalie MacLean "Lovely! Mocha but not too much, just a warming edge along with fleshy black plum. Full-bodied and almost smooth (nothing that 2 hours of decanting can't solve). Layered and delicious." (2007 vintage)
Wine Spectator "Black cherry and violet flavours mark this fruity, straightforward red. Balanced and set for early enjoyment."
Wine Spectator "A smoky graphite aroma leads off, with ample cherry, plum and balsamic notes underneath. Assertive tannins gang up on the finish, but this stays balanced.." (2016 vintage)
Wine Scores "For Bernabei, Reserva's can only be made from old vines. Here, scorched earth, violets and cherry, summer berries, vanilla and cedar appear on the nose. The palate is supple and silky with tobacco, cedar, cocoa and hints of oak. Excellent length and sweet ripe tannins. (2009 vintage)
The winemaker - "The Riserva is exclusively issued in the best years, made from Sangiovese, with touches of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for added body, complexity and a velvety texture. The grapes are grown in the hilly vineyards of the region from ten to forty-year-old vines, which lend complexity and aroma. After a few weeks of maceration, the wine ages in oak for about twenty-four months and then six months in bottle. The result is a red-letter version of a traditional wine with lush aromas of cherry, plum, violet, iris, black pepper, coffee, vanilla and nutmeg confirmed on a full, luscious palate, with a lingering, clean finish"
100% Sangiovese
Toscolo was founded by international wine entrepreneurs, Neil and Maria Empson. The winery produces premium wine in the true Tuscan style. winemaking is overseen by star Italian enologist Franco Bernabei with grapes sourced from the finest vineyards in the region.
The soil and microclimates of the Toscolo vineyards are intriguingly diverse – from compact, very fine-textured limestone at approx. 400-450 meters (1,310 to 1,480 feet) above sea level, to rocky, calcareous clay areas with similar altitudes; and even clayey/siliceous/ calcareous soil at 250-300 meters (820-984 feet) above sea level. Neil is thus able to handpick the best selections according to harvest conditions in the individual vineyards, maintaining consistent quality with each vintage.
Tuscany is Italy's third most planted region (behind Sicily and Apulia) but it is eighth in terms of output, reflecting both the poor soil of Tuscany and deliberate efforts to limit yields and increase the quality in the wine. After Piedmont and the Veneto, Tuscany produces the third-highest volume of DOC/DOCG wines. More than 80% of the regions' production is in red wine, with the Sangiovese grape being Tuscany's' most prominent grape. Trebbiano is the leading white variety of the region.
The history of viticulture in Tuscany dates back to the Etruscans in the 8th century BC. From the fall of the Roman Empire and throughout the Middle Ages, monasteries were the main purveyors of wines in the region. As the aristocratic and merchant classes emerged, they inherited the share-cropping system of agriculture known as mezzadria. Many Tuscan landowners would turn their half of the grape harvest into wine that would be sold to merchants in Florence. Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Tuscany returned to the rule of the Habsburgs.
Chianti, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscan are Tuscany’s best known wines.
The Chianti region is split between Chianti and Chianti Classico. Accordingly, two separate DOCG designations apply to wines from the Chianti region: the Chianti Classico DOCG for the heartland of Chianti, and Chianti DOCG for all other Chianti regions. (In 1984, the Chianti region was promoted from DOC to DOCG - Italy’s highest classification - and in 1996, Chianti Classico - the historic heartland of the region - DOCG was created, which gave autonomy to that region. In the last 20 years, a consortium of Chianti Classico producers have researched new Sangiovese clones, replanted vineyards, updated cellar practices and generally made Chianti Classico DOCG a world-class appellation. Chianti Classico must contain a minimum of 75% Sangiovese. In the 2014 edition of its annual compendium of wine ratings, Gambero Rosso noted that Chianti Classico DOCG wines were noteworthy for their “significant return to a more defined style, true to tradition.” The typical Chianti Classico wine is a ruby-red, Sangiovese-based wine with aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice.
The Chianti DOCG designation covers wines from six Chianti sub-zones (Colli Pisane, Colli Fiorentini, Colli Senesi, Colli Aretini, Montalbano and Rufina) as well as all other Chianti wines. The Chianti Classico DOCG is located in the very center of Tuscany, between Florence and Sienna.
Sangiovese (or Nielluccio in Corsica), a dark-berried vine, is the most widely planted grape variety in Italy. Virtually synonymous with the red wines of Tuscany, and all the romanticism that goes with the territory, Sangiovese is the core constituent in some of the great names in Italian wine. Italy's love affair with Sangiovese – and indeed the world's – is generations old, though recent grapevine research suggests the variety is not as ancient as once thought.