This week we are talking about Super Tuscan wine. Super Tuscans come from as the name suggests, the Tuscany region of Italy which is located in central Italy. “Super Tuscan” is a term used to describe red wines from Tuscany that may include the use of non-indigenous grapes, particularly Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

 

Wine Recommendations

Tenuta Monteti Caburnio 2010 - priced around $21.

• 55 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Alicante Bouschet, 15 % Merlot, 5 % Cabernet Franc, 5 % Petit Verdot
• Nose: Dark fruit - blackberries, black currant, black plums, floral (like lavender and rose)
• Dry, full body, medium plus acidity and smooth, soft medium level tannins
• Flavors: dark fruit, vanilla, touch of rose and lavender
• You can tell this wine has spent some time in oak and in the bottle - soft edges but still quite a bit of acidity so probably would be great with even more age
• We were not expecting the floral component - we feel this is a bit of French influence showing.
• This wine is complex and structured, can stand up to food or good for sipping on its own

 

Toccata Classico 2015 - priced around $29.

• This wine was given to us as a sample
• The grapes in this blend are 50% Sangiovese, 30% Cab Sav, 5% Merlot, 5% Freisa, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cab Franc 
• Nose: sweet & smokey BBQ ribs, ripe black cherries and blackberries, vanilla
• Dry, full body, medium tannins, medium plus acidity
• Flavors similar to aromas, plus black plum
• This is an intense wine that needs food with big flavors and/or a bit of fat. Most people will probably want food with it.
• This one could also age a bit longer, especially if you want to accentuate those umami flavors.

 

Sources

• Wikipedia 
• Wine Folly 
• Vinepair 
• Oxford Guide to Wine