2021 Castello di Ama Haiku Siena, Tuscany

2021 Castello di Ama Haiku Siena, Tuscany

with No Comment $70-$80ItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

Castello di Ama

Haiku 2021
Siena, Tuscany

2021 Castello di Ama Haiku Siena, Tuscany

Castello di Ama’s 2021 Haiku draws you in, line by line, with precise elegance. Rooted in tradition, Sangiovese, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot move in measured harmony, each voice distinct yet seamlessly intertwined. The wine unfolds with a natural cadence, where structure and emotion meet, and every detail arrives with intent.

From hillside vineyards rising between 420 and 500 meters, the wine gains a lift that defines its character. Clay-limestone soils drive a firm mineral spine, while elevation sharpens freshness and aromatic detail within the fruit. Under the direction of Marco Pallanti, each decision serves the wine’s voice, guiding the vineyard to speak fully and shaping a wine that feels both grounded and expressive.

In the cellar, that same discipline carries through. Fermentation follows a measured path, capturing structure, while élevage frames the wine with balance, allowing oak to support finite details in balance. Texture builds with intention, fine tannins threading through layers of depth, carrying the wine forward in a steady rhythm to a long, composed finish that lingers with precision.

Castello di Ama
Haiku 2021
Siena, Tuscany

Your Price: $79.99

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“Blackberries, black cherries and graphite on the nose. It’s full-bodied with very polished and lightly chewy tannins and a tangy finish. Minerally and citrusy at the end. Solid wine that needs two or three years of bottle age to soften.”

95 Points

2022 Antinori Tignanello Tuscany Italy

2022 Antinori Tignanello Tuscany Italy

with No Comment $100 and overChiantiItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

Antinori

Tignanello 2022
Tuscany, Italy

2022 Antinori Tignanello Tuscany Italy

Few wines have altered the course of Italian winemaking as profoundly as Tignanello. Born on a sunlit hillside in the heart of Chianti Classico, this legendary bottling challenged tradition at a time when convention ruled. The 2022 Tignanello offers a modern expression of that breakthrough, shaped by decades of vision and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

That transformation took shape through deliberate and radical choices. Tignanello was among the first Tuscan wines to age Sangiovese in small oak barrels and to incorporate Bordeaux varieties, decisions that challenged prevailing doctrine and unlocked new layers of depth and precision. Together, these choices established a style that balanced tradition with innovation and set a new global benchmark.

The 2022 vintage brings that pioneering spirit into sharp focus. An extended growing season allowed the fruit to reach full maturity, resulting in a wine defined by balance rather than force. Sangiovese leads with energy and structure, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc add dimension and contour. Aged for sixteen months in French and Hungarian oak, the wine emerges layered and composed, its power carried with ease by polished perfection.

Antinori
Tignanello 2022
Tuscany, Italy

Your Price: $169.99

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“Rich and fruit-forward, the Marchesi Antinori 2022 Tignanello very much respects the vintage that tends to deliver more concentration and volume overall. It delivers extra fruit weight with a velvety, satiny feel over a generous mouthfeel. Tignanello offers blackcurrant and cherry, but there is a mineral note that keeps things focused. This is a beautiful expression of the vintage, with excellent work done to execute soft tannins, texture and length.”

97 Points

2020 Boscarelli Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Tuscany Italy

2020 Boscarelli Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Tuscany Italy

with No Comment $40-$50ItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

Boscarelli

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Tuscany, Italy 2020

2020 Boscarelli Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Tuscany Italy

Boscarelli’s Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a winemaking masterpiece that honors the noble heritage of Prugnolo Gentile, a local Sangiovese clone, and a true expression of Italian vinicultural artistry. This is no ordinary Italian red – it’s one of the most captivating wines I’ve encountered recently, offering a remarkable balance of intensity, focus, and terroir-driven character at an exceptional value.

Nestled in the hills of Cervognano di Montepulciano, Poderi Boscarelli reflects over half a century of the De Ferrari Corradi family’s unwavering dedication to excellence. The 2020 vintage embodies this legacy, adhering to the strict DOCG regulations that demand a minimum of 70% Prugnolo Gentile, a grape renowned for its remarkable aging potential. Over time, this wine evolves into a symphony of elegance, seamlessly blending Chianti Classico’s finesse with Brunello di Montalcino’s structured sophistication.

This wine stands out due to its meticulous craftsmanship. The vineyards, blessed with red, sandy, and mineral-rich soils, yield fruit of exceptional quality. Aging in Allier French and Slavonian oak barrels adds layers of complexity, while including a small percentage of Canaiolo contributes a touch of rustic charm. The result is a wine that embodies tradition while feeling utterly contemporary – an authentic reflection of Tuscany’s soul.

Boscarelli
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Tuscany, Italy 2020

Your Price: $45

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“Nuanced minerality chiselled to the ripe red berries, blood orange zest, savory plums and cherries. Medium to full body on the palate with a bone-dry, transparent middle and a tight, mineral coating of tannins. Fruity but pithy and precise, too. A joy to taste and drink already, but can hold well in the next five to eight years, if not more.”

93 Points

2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore

2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore

with No Comment $30 and underItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

BULZAGA

EPIPOGIO 2018
ROMAGNA SANGIOVESE SUPERIORE

2018 Bulzaga Epipogio Romaga Sangiovese Superiore
Cantina Bulzaga is located in Romagna, Italy, looking up to the Brisighellesi hills that create the natural border between Romagna and Tuscany. The winery’s roots run deep within the region, with each wine named for a flower found in the Apennines. Epipogio gets its name from the epipogium flower or ghost orchid.
 
Bulzaga’s team organically farms, with only vines that strongly connect to the terroir with distinct varietal character selected for wine production. The 2018 vintage is 100% Sangiovese aged for eight months in cement vats before bottling and exudes aromatic purity with earthy notes, fresh fruit, spice, and everything nice. 
 
As a side note, our panel tasted this wine blind without any prior knowledge of the wine’s value price, and we couldn’t believe it was only a $20 bottle.
 
BULZAGA
EPIPOGIO 2018
ROMAGNA SANGIOVESE SUPERIORE
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
 
“The Bulzaga 2018 Epipogio Romagna Sangiovese Superiore opens with sultry notes of rosemary, sour cherry, cranberry, earth, black tea, and cigar box. On the palate, the wine is focused, with flavors of black cherry, cranberry, black tea, and peppercorns. The wine’s fruity, savory, and spicy characteristics are uniquely balanced in a rustic Tuscan fashion and provide an incredible drinking experience.”
94 Points
2018 Querciabella Mongrana Maremma Toscana

2018 Querciabella Mongrana Maremma Toscana

with No Comment $30 and underItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

QUERCIABELLA

2018 MONGRANA
MAREMMA TOSCANA

2018 Querciabella Mongrana Maremma Toscana
Querciabella represents the most significant extension of certified organic vineyards in Italy, emphasizing respect for the vine’s natural cycles through plant-based compost and cover crops that protect the soil by naturally replenishing vital nutrients. After reaching the height of success in Chianti, Querciabella looked to the Tuscan coast in Maremma for its future endeavors, planting 33 hectares of biodynamically farmed vines in 2000, producing outstanding fruit. 
 
Featured on the Wine Spectator’s “Top 100 List” in 2013 and their “Top 100 Value Wines” in 2019 and 2020, Querciabella’s Mongrana is an exceptional value and a joy to drink. Following gentle fermentation, the wine is aged 12 months in stainless steel and cement vats, allowing the vivid, fresh fruit and rustic mineral notes to shine in this brilliantly ruby red Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. 
 
QUERCIABELLA
2018 MONGRANA
MAREMMA TOSCANA
 
Your Price: $25
 
 
“Plenty of fresh blackberry, blackcurrant leaf, pepper and licorice on the nose. It’s full-bodied with delicious, wild brambleberry and herb notes, framed by firm, elegant tannins. Long, fresh finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink from 2021.”
94 Points
 
“Ripe and polished, this red offers plum, black cherry, licorice and spice flavors. Vibrant and harmonious, with slightly chewy tannins gracing the lingering aftertaste. Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2024.”
92 Points
2018 Sor Ugo Super Tuscan Bolgheri Rosso Superiore

2018 Sor Ugo Super Tuscan Bolgheri Rosso Superiore

with No Comment $30-$40Cabernet SauvignonKevin VogtSangioveseUSA

SOR UGO

2018 SUPER TUSCAN
BOLGHERI ROSSO SUPERIORE
AIA VECCHIA WINERY

2018 Sor Ugo Super Tuscan Bolgheri Rosso Superiore
Aia Vecchia’s determination to express the most natural characteristics of their land, along with their undeterred attention to detail, manifests profoundly in their wines. The wine’s commanding intensity, supreme richness, and arrant focus effortlessly combine, making it feel like the only wine in the room. Vinous writes, “the purity of the flavors is striking,” and with a 94 point score and price far lower than what you’d expect from Bolgheri, it’s easy to see why this is our most popular Tuscan wine year after year. 
 
Sor Ugo boldly reflects Castagneto Carducci terroir and the Estate’s proximity to the Tyrrhenian coast. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, embellished with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot, the 2018 vintage is super-concentrated with crystalline focus enriched with minerality and divinely saturating intensity. 
 
Aia Vecchia’s winemaking team has a precisely detailed approach; Meticulously hand-sorting each berry, vinifying, fermenting and aging each varietal separately before creating the blend, which spends a year in the bottle before release.
 
SOR UGO
2018 SUPER TUSCAN
BOLGHERI ROSSO SUPERIORE
AIA VECCHIA WINERY
 
Your Price: $39.99
 
 

“The 2018 Sor Ugo is a superb Bolgheri red. Pliant, succulent and so expressive, the 2018 offers plenty of richness, but with terrific energy, too. Black cherry, mocha, spice, licorice and chocolate all build as the 2018 fills out over time. The purity of the flavors is striking.” 

94 Points

2015 Caiarossa Toscana IGT Tuscany, Italy

2015 Caiarossa Toscana IGT Tuscany, Italy

with No Comment $50-$60ItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

CAIAROSSA

2015 TOSCANA IGT 
TUSCANY, ITALY

2015 Caiarossa Toscana IGT Tuscany, Italy
Caiarossa describes their flagship Super Tuscan as a liberation of the senses, achieved by artfully blending seven varieties, biodynamically farmed and woven into a luxurious tapestry that encapsulates the estate’s dynamic terroir. Tuscany’s 2015 vintage embellished the wines already alluring qualities, naturally producing wines, “Ripe and opulent, with plenty of fruit,” as noted by the Wine Spectator, who rated the overall year as the best since 1997. With 96 points and priced less than $60, I highly recommend adding this Italian legend to your cellar. 
 
Located in Val di Cecina on the Tuscan coast, The Estate was resurrected in 2004 by the late Eric Albada Jelgersma of Grand Cru Margaux houses Château Giscours, and Château du Tertre. The winery’s deep ties to Bordeaux are present in their wines, which tell an authentic tale of their origin. 
 
Planted to 11 grape varieties, each selected based upon the most suitable soil type, Caiarossa’s 16-hectare vineyard is a work of art. Their land’s nobility and the winery’s commitment to producing the best wine from it is unmistakable in their 2015 release, which also happens to be drinking ridiculously good right now.
 
CAIAROSSA
2015 TOSCANA IGT 
TUSCANY, ITALY
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $58
 
 
“The nose immediately shows a fabulous contrast between riper mulberries and blackberry crumble and freshly ground herbs, citrus and incense. The palate shows much the same polish, carrying bright blue-fruit flavors across a bedrock of muscular tannins and driven acidity. This finishes long and very grainy yet succulent. A blend of merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, sangiovese, petit verdot and alicante.”
96 points
2016 Livio Sassetti Montecucco Rosso DOC La Querciolina

2016 Livio Sassetti Montecucco Rosso DOC La Querciolina

with No Comment $30 and underChiantiItalyKevin VogtRossoSangioveseTuscany

LIVIO SASSETTI

MONTECUCCO ROSSO DOC
LA QUERCIOLINA 2016 

2016 Livio Sassetti Montecucco Rosso DOC La Querciolina
The Sassetti family is one of the top producers of Sangiovese-based wines in Tuscany. It’s their dedication to their land and ability to identify new plots capable of producing world-class fruit that has been a key to their success. Their Montecucco Rosso comes from an organically farmed 12-hectare vineyard in Southern Tuscany, and in all honesty, it drinks better than a lot of good $50 Brunellos. Vinous describes the 2016 release as “gorgeous and an amazing value,” and at $28, I bet you’ll wish you had ordered more once you taste it.
 
Montecucco neighbors Montalcino, and most of its seven villages are on the slopes of Monte Amiata, Italy’s second-highest volcano. The soils there are of volcanic origin and produce powerful Sangiovese Grosso fruit that’s concentrated, vibrant, and unique to Montecucco. 
 
Livio Sassetti’s Montecucco Rosso is 100% Sangiovese Grosso, the same grape used for Brunello. The winemaking team aged the 2016 vintage for just six months in barrel, preserving the fruit’s vibrancy, and now with sufficient time in the bottle, this vintage is stunning.
 
LIVIO SASSETTI
MONTECUCCO ROSSO DOC
LA QUERCIOLINA 2016
 
Your Price: $28
 
 
“The bouquet is dark and earthy in the best possible way, as savory herbs give way to crushed black cherry, encased in an air of smoky minerals, sous-bois, and hints of animal musk. The 2016 La Querciolina Montecucco Rosso then floods the palate with silky textures, offset by cool-toned red fruits and minerals, riding a core of brisk acids. It finishes with medium length yet brimming with energy, as a mix of savory spice and minerality slowly tapers off, leaving just a hint of dried cranberry. This is gorgeous and an amazing value. Drink 2020-2026”
93 points
 
“A firm and silky red with berries and a hint of chocolate. Some coffee, too. Medium body, firm yet polished tannins and a fresh finish. Drink now.”
91 Points
2013 Villa Trasqua Trasgaia Toscana IGT

2013 Villa Trasqua Trasgaia Toscana IGT

with No Comment $30 and underChiantiItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

VILLA TRASQUA

2013 TRASGAIA 
TOSCANA IGT

2013 Villa Trasqua Trasgaia Toscana IGT
Villa Trasqua has a 1000 year history in Castellina, Chianti, rooted in viticulture and innovation. Their wines perfectly balance tradition and modernity and are enriched with old-world antiquity and enhanced with new world styled fruit. Over the years, their Trasgaia Super Tuscan has graced the shelves in our shop and has generated a devoted following due to its remarkable quality and realistic price.
 
The winery is on an ancient plateau in the town Castellina, and they cultivate their vineyards organically, perfectly expressing the site’s specific terroir. The estate shined in 2013, which was a vintage that the Wine Spectator noted as producing, “Sleek, vibrant wines with bright, focused fruit flavors.”
 
The 2013 vintage combined 50% Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and matured for 24 months in oak and five years of development inside the bottle. The 2013 release is powerful, beautifully defined and is perfectly ready to enjoy now.
 
VILLA TRASQUA
2013 TRASGAIA 
TOSCANA IGT 
 
Your Price: $28
 
 
“Fresh and aromatic red with blackberries, cherries and hints of flowers. Medium body, firm and silky tannins and a fresh finish. Linear and bright. A blend of sangiovese, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Drink now.”
91 Points
 
“Deep ruby red with very light garnet hues. The aroma is fruity with nuances of sour cherry in syrup, black currant and lemon jelly. Then vanilla, liquorice and nutmeg notes with balsamic reminiscences of eucalyptus and toasted Arabica coffee and gianduja chocolate. The nose opens up to black pepper and star anis. The taste is round with a warmth that makes it pleasant, tasty and well-balanced. The tannins are completely integrated. The long aftertaste is polite and measured with blackberry, currant and liquorice aromas.”
2017 San Leonino Governo All'uso Toscana Sangiovese IGT

2017 San Leonino Governo All’uso Toscana Sangiovese IGT

with No Comment $30 and underItalyKevin VogtSangioveseTuscany

SAN LEONINO

2017 GOVERNO
ALL’USO TOSCANA 
SANGIOVESE IGT

2017 San Leonino Governo All'uso Toscana Sangiovese IGT
Governo is a wine type favored by sommeliers looking for a value-priced Sangiovese with greater depth, richness, and X-factor. Producers make it using similar methods to Amarone, but instead of Valpolicella’s mix of grapes, they use Sangiovese. To make it, winemakers add partially dried grapes back into already fermented Sangiovese, igniting a secondary fermentation, which creates a more profound, more vibrant, and often smoother wine.  
 
Tuscany is where winemakers first developed Governo in the 14th century. It was often a method used by vineyard workers who got paid with the poorest quality grapes in the vineyard. They found that if they added partially raisinated grapes into the already fermented Sangiovese, they could make a deeper, richer Sangiovese that was easier to sell. 
 
San Leonino’s 2017 Governo is 100% Sangiovese and comes from the All’Uso Toscano region in Tuscany. It’s a classically styled wine, with penetrating cherry fruit intertwined with spices, and liquid floral.  
 
SAN LEONINO
2017 GOVERNO
ALL’USO TOSCANA 
SANGIOVESE IGT
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
 
“Intense notes of ripe cassis, cherry, licorice, cedar and spiced oak dominate on both the nose and palate. 100% Sangiovese.”