Opened tonight with a dinner of four cheese ravioli and eggplant parmagiano.
color: dark garnet with no hint of browning nose: initially, dried cherries, turning later to cedar, minerals, smoke and a hint of mushrooms palate: medium bodied, acidic but not tart, dark cherry fruit, smooth finish
Only in the past 3-4 years have I made any serious attempt to come to grips with the dizzying world of Italian wines. Having in general worked my way southerly from the Veneto, I now find myself in Tuscany (well, OK, I did detour to Puglia a few years back, but now I'm back on track). This wine was purchased on discount at Sam's some years back and is now showing quite well. Not likely to be mistaken for a full-grown Brunello, it still shows very attractive Sangiovese fruit, despite its high acidity. It gives me high hopes for what to expect as I work my way up the price ladder...
Mark Lipton