Antinori
Carpineto
Cenio
Cipresso
Dievole
Dogajolo
Erte
La Massa
Le Cinciole
Lucignano
Monte Antico
Novenceto
Pietraserena
Tassinaia
Toscolo
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Tassinaia 1999 Castello Del Terriccio
A "Super Tuscan" consisting of 1/3 cabernet sauvignon, 1/3 sangiovese, 1/3 merlot.
The fore-palate is rich, deep, smoky, with hints of plum, cassis, roses, vanilla, and leather.
The finish is bright wild cherries and white pepper tannins.
A sultry red, bursting with ripe fruit, possessing a prominent tannic structure.
A wine worth cellaring for a few years.
Retail price $40. Tasted October 5, 2003.
Classic "Super Tuscan" quality, earning three out of three  .
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Antinori1999 Tigannello
A "Super Tuscan" blend with 80% sangiovese, 15% cabernet sauvignon, 5% cabernet franc.
Bright flavors of raspberries and wild cherries prevail on the fore-palate.
The ample acidity marries well with the bright fruit flavors.
Complex and full bodied with notes of smoke and cedar, sultry tannins and a lengthy finish.
This "Super Tuscan" was a pioneer in a time when Chianti was not focused.
Retail price $75. Tasted October 5, 2003.
A gem that will cellar for a decade earning three out of three .
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Antinori Guado al Tasso 1999
Rich, smooth, and sultry, with great tannin and acid structure.
Cassis, coffee, and smoke reach deep into brooding notes of this wine.
Guado al Tasso is 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, with the other 10%
being made up of syrah and other field varieties.
There's nothing better than a red with mouth-watering ripeness,
balanced by ample acidity and chocolately tannins.
Retail price $72. Tasted October 5, 2003.
Worth every penny earning three out of a possible three .
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Antinori 2001 Santa Chistina very soft, approachable
wine with great structure and full, rich fruit. The black cherry and rose petal flavors
softly inter-weave with vanilla and clove. 90% sangiovese and 10% merlot, Antinori has done
beautiful job of creating a masterpiece in a value priced wine.
Retail price $12. Tasted July 18, 2003. We give this wine two  .
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Cenio Erte Rosso 2001 Toscana
is what we've grown to love about Tuscan wine.
The quality surpasses the price, the fruit is rich and lush,
and the structure is interesting and fitting.
This wine is 50% sangiovese and 50% cabernet.
There's cookie dough on the nose,
cherries that are so ripe they're almost black,
a building finish of vanilla, and then white pepper.
The acidity is lingering, impressive, and the slight zap of white pepper on the finish
gives the wine a yin-yang sensation.
Oh, and did I mention that it is gorgeous in the glass.
Retail price $14 Tasted September 13, 2001.
Two out of three for the explosion of ripeness in your mouth .
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La Massa Giorgio 2000 Primo
is a dangerously drinkable red.
The fruit is clean, yet echos notes of dried herbs and dried fruit,
toasted spices and toasted nuts, and rosehips.
This wine is elegant and drinks like a gem now,
but will most definately become more interesting as time goes by.
I wouldn't "pair" this wine with just any meal that fit the bill.
In fact, I would make sure the meal was a back drop to this bottle of wine.
As I said, it is a dangerously drinkable red.
Retail price $60. Tasted September 9, 2003. In the spotlight, earning 3 out of 3 .
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Dievole Novecent 1997 Chianti Classico Riserva
is named after an anniversary of sorts.
1090 was the birth year of the last winemaker and caretaker of the Dievole Estate.
Nine hundred years later, six direct descendants of the first Dievole, manage the Estate again.
Each of the six are winemakers, each brings his own talent to the collaboration.
Novecent is a celebration of the grapes, the ability to late-harvest, traditions, and resurrection.
As they at Dievole put it best, it is "Hazard and Opportunity."
Because the grapes dry and concentrate on the vine, the wine is aggressive,
thought provoking, and violet in the glass.
It conjures memories of Amarone or Ripasso, only different.
Mouthwatering flavors of plum, cassis, earth, chocolate, rosehips, and dried anise dance on the palate.
The acidity is "Old World" style and the tannins are sultry.
Retail price is $ . Tasted September 8, 2003. Three out of three .
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Dievole Vendemmia Chianti Classico 2000
Dievole’s single vineyards compose this lush, interesting, juicy, balanced Chianti.
This field blend represents the various Sangiovese clones on the Dievole Estate, along with
Malvasia Nera, Canaiolo, Colorino, and the heritage-varietals of
Barsaglina, Prugnolo, Saragiolo, and Mammolo.
Now that's a mouthful.
The fruit is ripe, the structure approachable, and the finish soft and earthy.
They have a talent for blending and an ability to consider history and then think outside of the box.
If you combine this with the terroir they've been blessed with,
I think we're going to be hearing great things about these six gentlemen winemakers in the future.
Retail price $17. Tasted September 8, 2003. An excellent choice earning one  .
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Dievole Broccato 1998 Sangiovese
They refer to the vines as the mothervines.
They use these vines for cloning the sangiovese that is native to these hills.
Dievole Broccato is an example of a legitimate Chianti Classico under modern law, still embracing
the Super Tuscan moniker.
Indeed, it ebrasses the Super Tuscan style with
attention getting ripe wild cherry, soy, leather, and rosehips flavors.
This is an incredible wine for at this price point.
Dievole plans on evolving this wine to include selected heritage-varietals from the Estate and
perhaps a very non-native varietals that might excel in their rock soil.
It drinks like a treasure now, but in a few years should be a jaw-dropper.
Retail price $25. Tasted September 8, 2003. Three out of three .
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Carpineto
Has a beautiful color in the glass with a fragrant nose of roses and violets.
The are notes of black cherries, roasted coffee and vanilla bean, black olive and tar.
Winemaker Dr. GianCarlo Sacchet chooses a style that is young and fresh like a Beaujolais,
yet is polished and worldly like a Super Tuscan.
I think he's done a great job of marrying the two styles into a very approchable wine.
If you are a fan of Tuscan wines and love a value price on a quality bottle of wine, Dogajolo is a great bottle for you.
Retail price $13. Tasted September 8, 2003. Great style for the money earning two .
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Carpineto 1998 Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
brings to mind elaborate recipes of vanilla, toasted spices and nuts, and
ripe cherries.
As the finish developes you think of green olives, white pepper, and cocoa on a
notable tannic wave.
The tannins will allow this wine to cellar for another decade.
Great balance and structure with ample fruit.
100% Sangiovese Grosso of Brunello.
Retail price $32. Tasted September 8, 2003. A great bottle now or later earning two .
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Monte Antico 2001 Rosso is 100%
sangiovese and is one of the best value wines on the market today.
This wine has a lovely deep violet color and is surprisingly fruity with just the right
amount of acidity. Black cherry and violets prevail in the wine.
It is appropriate for your favorite meal or for just sipping on it's own.
If you haven't tried this inexpensive gem, make it a point to pick one up the next time
you're shopping. This wine earns an extra star for being such a great bargain.
Retail price $9. Tasted May 4, 2003. We rate this wine with two .
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