($98, Kobrand Wine & Spirits):  Silvio Nardi’s Manachiara estate, located in the eastern portion of the Montalcino zones, comprises about 550 acres, of which about 125 are planted.  This Brunello is always explosive and the 2012 is no exception.  Its gorgeous aromatics grab your attention immediately. … Read more

($20):  Argiano, a top Brunello producer, has, liked many other producers in the region, branched out from producing Brunello di Montalcino and Rosso di Montalcino.  Non Confunditur, which in Latin means unique or unmistakable, is a balanced blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese that works very nicely. … Read more

($12, Montcalm Wine Importers):  Vignamaggio makes excellent Chianti Classico, so it comes as no surprise that this simple IGT Toscana delivers more than you’d expect for the price.  Fruitier with far fewer savory notes compared to Chianti Classico, it’s a cheery fresh wine, full of cherry-like notes. … Read more

($23):  The three-grape blend, Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, give rise to the name, TRE.  This mid-weight wine (13.5% stated alcohol) delivers an array of red and black fruit notes surrounded by mild tannins. Bright and lively, it has good density and surprising complexity and polish for the price. … Read more

($70):  Brancaia has fashioned a “bigger” more modern style of Super Tuscan by blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.  Although these are grapes known as Bordeaux varieties, Brancaia’s Ilatraia has clear roots in Tuscany as manifested by its terrific enlivening and refreshing acidity. … Read more

($40):  With an unusual blend, this “second” wine from Caiarossa is an outstanding value.  The team uses five of the seven red varieties planted on the estate, Syrah (28%), Cabernet Franc (22%), Merlot (21%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%), and Alicante, for this robust, yet balanced wine. … Read more

($51):  Caiarossa, a relatively new entry into the Super Tuscan world (2004 was their first vintage), is headed towards the top of that illustrious group.  In addition to four of the traditional Bordeaux varieties (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot), they planted and use in this, their flagship wine, Syrah, Sangiovese, and Alicante. … Read more

($72, Quintessential):  Though the wines are bottled and in distribution to wholesalers, the official release date of the 2013 Brunello di Montalcino is the beginning of 2018.  The growing season was cooler than 2012, which suggests the wines might be more elegant than powerful, but generalizations can’t be made, if at all, until tasting a full range of them. … Read more

($42):  Befitting a Riserva, Castello di Radda’s 2012 has depth balanced by a gutsy firmness.  Even with its youthful vigor, the balance of dark fruit and savory notes is apparent.  An appealing hint of bitterness in the finish reminds you this is a wine meant for the dinner table. … Read more

($22):  In a word, delicious.  It’s just what you’d expect from Chianti Classico: a wonderful combination of dark cherry-like fruit and herbal qualities. Not all gussied up with oak, the alluring earthiness of Chianti Classico comes through.  Polished tannins in this mid-weight wine impart a suave texture.… Read more

($49):  As much as I liked Castello di Radda’s 2012 Chianti Classico Riserva, I must admit, their Gran Selezione from the same vintage is just better.  With stricter production standards, Gran Selezione, a relatively new category for Chianti Classico, is supposed to highlight a producer’s top wine. … Read more

($92, Kobrand):  Silvio Nardi, one of my favorite Brunello producers, consistently makes a stunning wine from their Manachiara vineyard, some of whose vines date back to the 1960s.  Located on the east side of Montalcino, the vineyard has a mixture of clay and sand in the soil, which helps account for the wine’s seemingly paradoxical combination of power and elegance. … Read more

($20, Artisanal Cellars):  Despite being Italy’s first DOC, Vernaccia di San Gimignano (yes, you read that correctly) rarely receives the accolades it deserves, which is a boon for consumers because its low visibility keeps the prices down.  Il Colombaio di Santa Chiara is one of the region’s top producers, so their wines are a good place to start for consumers who want to know what Vernaccia di San Gimignano should taste like. … Read more

($30, Artisanal Cellars):  Often confused with Sangiovese, Ciliegiolo, which means small cherries, usually comprises part of a blend.  But a few producers, such as Fibbiano, make a monovarietal wine from it.  This is a lovely example, combining cherry-like fruit, earthiness and an attractive subtle bitterness in the finish. … Read more

($15, Palm Bay International):  Rocca delle Maciè consistently makes lovely Chianti Classico, so it’s no surprise that they succeed with the Sangiovese grape further south in Scansano.  Their Morellino di Scansano 2015 focuses more on ripe cherry-like fruit than earthiness, but a hint of savory notes and bright acidity keeps it in balance. … Read more

($92, Wilson Daniels): It’s not surprising to see more estates popping up in Bolgheri, the area of the Tuscan coast that’s home to super star such as, Sassicaia and Ornellaia.  Moreover, it stands to reason that there’s potential for other producers to find the correct microclimates for their interpretation of wines made from the Bordeaux varieties. … Read more

($60, Kobrand): Tenute Silvio Nardi produces classically framed Brunello that reveal their substantial charms slowly.  They have vineyards both in the northwest and southeast section of the DOCG zone, which allows them to capture the virtues of each of those zones by using grapes from both of them for this wine. … Read more

($18, Montcalm Wine Importers): Chianti Rùfina, the smallest of the eight subzones of Chianti, a vast area in the middle of Tuscany, accounts for only about three percent of the region’s production.  By comparison, Chianti Classico, the best known of the subzones and the area located in the hills between Florence and Siena, produces ten times the amount of wine. … Read more

($25): Ruffino is one of the leading names in Chianti Classico, producing a range of traditionally styled wines at reasonable prices.  Their top one, Riserva Ducale Oro (with a gold label), made only in the best vintages has an extraordinary ability to develop amazing complexity with bottle age.… Read more

($18): This is a masterful Chianti Classico that walks the line between the so-called “modern” and “traditional” styles.  A hint of Merlot (2%) in the blend with Sangiovese (98%) adds fleshiness without being overt.  The engaging herbal earthy notes still dominate. … Read more

($12): Fattoria Viticcio is best known for their lovely Chianti Classico and their Super Tuscan, Greppicaia, from Bolgheri.  Add this satisfying Vermentino to the list. Fresh and lively, there’s a mouth-watering salinity to it that screams for this summer’s seafood.  It has surprising — for Vermentino — density and alluring hint of bitterness in the finish.… Read more

($25, Montcalm Wine Importers): I have extolled the virtues of Cantine Lunae Bosoni in the past, particularly their Vermentini.  There’s no reason to stop now: Their 2016 “Etichetta Grigia” (or Gray Label) Vermentino is an exciting wine.  (They also produce a more expensive one, Etichetta Nero, a.k.a.… Read more

($24): Wines from the Chianti Classico region, which, remember is a distinct and more prestigious subzone of the greater Chianti area, continue to thrill.  This one from Viticcio, a blend of Sangiovese (90%) with equal amounts of Merlot and Syrah, is very appealing even now, though its balance suggests more complexity will evolve over the next five or so years. … Read more

($110, Folio Wine Imports): Luce della Vite, usually referred to as “Luce,” initially was a joint venture of the Mondavi and Frescobaldi families but is now owned solely by Frescobaldi.  A Super Tuscan blend of roughly equal parts Sangiovese and Merlot grown in the Montalcino area, it does not conform to Italian winemaking regulations and therefore carries the IGT designation. … Read more

($175, Folio Wine Imports): Axel Heinz, Ornellaia’s winemaker, described 2014 as a vintage that was “challenging for reds.”  He continued, “One thing we can rely on in Bolgheri is summer — but not in 2014.”  The weather in July and August was dreadful — cool and rainy — which meant that in many sites, even some of the very best ones, the grapes did not achieve full ripeness. … Read more

($22, Montcalm Wine Imports): This is quintessential Chianti Classico — remember Chianti Classico is one of the prized subzones of the Chianti region — with bright fruitiness, a touch of herbal flavors and lip-smacking acidity that compels another sip.  The richness of the 2015 vintage is apparent, but the team at Vignamggio avoids jamminess or overripe character. … Read more

($30): I’m always skeptical of a Cabernet-based Super Tuscan wine, even from a top producer, such as Principe Corsini, because Cabernet can overwhelm Tuscan identity.  No such problem with Marsiliana, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, despite being aged in new small French oak barrels. … Read more

($31, Montcalm Wine Imports): I raved about the 2014 vintage of this wine, Lunae Bosoni’s flagship white made entirely from Vermentino.  The 2015 is similarly stunning.  Possibly the richest Vermentino I’ve ever had, it still retains lightness and vivacity with an invigorating zippy finish. … Read more

($14, Wilson Daniels): If you thought Castello di Volpaia was a great producer of Chianti Classico, you would be correct.  But they also produce this bargain-priced Vermentino that shouldn’t be missed.  Beautifully fresh, saline tinged, with uplifting acidity, it’s hard to find a better match for steamed clams or other simply prepared seafood. … Read more

($22, Vias Imports): A blend of mostly (95%) Sangiovese and Malvasia Nero, this Chianti Classico delivers a harmonious contrast of herbal earthy flavors intermingled with pure fruity ones.  Hallmark Tuscan acidity and firm tannins provide structure without being aggressive or intrusion. … Read more

($20, Montcalm Wine Imports): Chianti Rufinà region sometimes is overshadowed by Chianti Classico region, which is a shame because wines from the former often deliver more savory notes.  Fattoria di Grignano’s fine example marries dark cherry-like fruit, earthy qualities with uplifting freshness and energy. … Read more

($225, Folio Fine Wines): Ornellaia is truly an iconic Super Tuscan that shows that Bordeaux does not have a monopoly on making great wine from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.  The 2013 growing season in Bolgheri was cooler than usual, producing less opulent, but to my mind no less enjoyable, wines. … Read more

($26): Montecucco is a small DOC in Tuscany bordering Brunello di Montalcino, its far more famous — and expensive — neighbor.  Montecucco Rosso is analogous to Rosso di Montalcino in that in is Montecucco’s earlier drinking wine. The Riserva designation means it’s undergone additional aging and presumably is better wine. … Read more

($20): Santa Cristina in Pilli is one of two single-vineyard (“crus”) Carmignano.  (Ambra also produces two Carmignano Riservas from two other single vineyards.)  This is another prime example of how Carmignano is underpriced.  It’s a seamless combination conveying fruitiness and savory notes. … Read more

($30): This stunning wine has the structure — firm without be hard or aggressive — you’d expect for an excellent young wine.  With a “not just fruit” quality, it delivers a gorgeous combination of cherry-like fruit, herbal notes and earthy flavors. … Read more

($20): If you need another example of how Carmignano over delivers, look no further than this one from Villa Artimino.  Very fragrant, it has a touch more concentration without being overdone or sacrificing any elegance.  It, too, has an engaging texture and a welcome firmness balanced by plenty of energy. … Read more

($26, Worldwide Cellars): Piaggia’s Il Sasso another wine that over delivers and demonstrates the value of Carmignano. A blend of Sangiovese (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc (20%) and Merlot, it is a sophisticated wine, delivering a bit of everything — black fruit, earthy and savory notes — and not too much of anything. … Read more

($14, Mionetti): This immediately accessible mid-weight wine combines fruit and earth with just the right amount of structure.  It has extraordinary complexity for the price.  Buy it by the case for this summer’s grilling season.
90 Michael Apstein May 3, 2016… Read more

($25): Cecchi, though one of Tuscany’s great producers, flies under the radar.  A family firm run currently by brothers Andrea and Cesare Cecchi, they produce a range of wines from estates in Tuscany and Umbria.  This one, a traditionally framed Chianti Classico made from a blend of Sangiovese and Colorino, exhibits the near magical combination of bright red cherry-like fruit and savory herbal qualities. … Read more

($32): Rosso di Montalcino can be an excellent introduction to the glories of Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy’s iconic wines.  Similar to Brunello, Rosso must be made entirely from Sangiovese.  This one, from Castello Banfi, a leading Brunello producer whose dedicated work in the 1980s helped catapult Brunello onto the world’s wine stage, is truly a “baby Brunello.” … Read more

($45): Tenuta San Guido, the producer of Sassicaia, first introduced Guidalberto in 2000.  Mistakenly thought by many to be a “second” wine of Sassicaia because all of the grapes come from Tenuta San Guido’s vineyards, it most certainly is not.  The blend of grapes is entirely different. … Read more

($28): Castello di Volpaia consistently makes wonderful Chianti Classico.  This Riserva combines a good density of black cherry-like fruit and a lovely herbal earthy component.  A beefy wine, they’ve imbued it with power without sacrificing finesse or a graceful signature.  Despite its intensity, it’s still clearly identifiable as Chianti Classico because of the great Tuscan acidity and savory notes. … Read more

($54): Tenute Silvio Nardi has vineyards in the northwest and southeast section of the Brunello di Montalcino zone.  In addition to their two outstanding single-vineyard wines, Poggio Doria and Manachiara, that they produce from those respective zones, they blend grapes to this fine, easy-to-recommend Brunello. … Read more

($97, Kobrand Wine And Spirits): Tenute Silvio Nardi, now run by his daughter, Emilia Nardi, remains of the Brunello’s top producers.  They have vineyards in both the northwest and southeast portions of the Montalcino zone, which produces grapes of different styles because of the difference in soil and climate in each of the areas. … Read more

($41, T. Edward Wines): Some Tuscan producers refer to their wines made exclusively from Sangiovese grown in the Chianti Classico region as a Super Tuscan wine.  Others, such as Monte Bernardi, prefer to label theirs as Chianti Classico Riserva.  This wine shows that Chianti Classico can have all of the appeal and pizzazz of the so-called Super Tuscans. … Read more

($19): The Rufinà subzone of Chianti, the vast area between Florence and Siena, is not as well known as the Chianti Classico subzone.  Indeed, the name is often confused with Ruffino, a well-known Tuscan producer.  The Rufinà zone is home to an array of top producers, including Frescobaldi, a name that is iconic in Italian wine. … Read more

($29, Opici Wines): Monteverro, whose aim is to join the top end Maremma producers, has crafted this seamless blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese as their “entry level” wine.  It has the richness expected from the Bordeaux varieties grown in that region, but unexpected brightness and liveliness from Sangiovese, a grape that does not ordinarily thrive in the Maremma. … Read more

($22, Palm Bay International): I’m a sucker for well-made Rosso di Montalcino because they deliver a glimmer of the grandeur of Brunello at an affordable price without having to cellar them.  Not a boisterous wine, Col d’Orcia’s 2012 Rosso di Montalcino has a great perfume, followed by seductive elegance supported by fine tannins. … Read more

($120, Palm Bay International): It should come as no surprise that this is an outstanding wine.  The producer is one of Montalcino’s best, the vineyard’s location is ideal with perfect elevation and exposure, and the vintage is outstanding.  At almost a decade of age, the wine is just starting to show its grandeur. … Read more