Super Tuscan Selection

By Raymond Chan

Tuscany is one of the world's most exciting regions for wine. The advent of ‘Super Tuscan' wine has expanded the boundaries of wine style and lifted the quality of Tuscan wine and Italian wine in general untold. The foundations of viticulture and vinification have been enhanced by these innovative wines. Ripe and healthy fruit may seem the obvious basis to start, but to even reach a satisfactory level can not be taken for granted. Site selection, good vine management and yields that are not excessive are aspects to considered. Vinification at controlled temperatures in hygienic conditions are imperative for sound wine. And appropriate maturation in oak to enhance the fruit and wine quality.

These improvements can be applied to traditional Tuscan methods and grape varieties. Or with the judicious application of international methods and international (read French) grape varieties. In my mind these are what contribute to the term ‘Super Tuscan'. Either way, we are seeing the evolution of wine style in Tuscany, and the raising of quality.

Our tasting of a selection of Super Tuscan wines was one of a wide range of styles. Some using only Sangiovese, the traditional Tuscan red variety, others totally based on French varieties. And the rest a blend of both native and international. Three of the wines have claim to the status of being the first ‘Super Tuscan'. The prices ranged from around $40.00 per bottle to over $200.00 per bottle. The results are interesting. There is indeed fantastic quality in several wines, these footing it with any of the world's best. And there is also outstanding value.

Here are my notes on the wines, served blind within each category, and in the following order:

Pretaster

78% Sangiovese, 22% Cabernet, 12-15 months in French barriques, 13.5% alc. Deep ruby red colour. Quite a rich, warm and earthy/leathery nose, distinctly varietal Sangiovese with its cherry notes. Dry and a little leathery and berried in flavour, some coolish elements. Tannins are noticeable as is some oak. Overall there is a freshness of fruit, making it recognisably New Zealand. But the wine certainly seems very Sangiovese too. 17.5-/20

Flight One: 100% Sangiovese Wines

Fruit from co-op growers at Cerroto Guidi, near Florence. Aged 10-12 months in barriques. 13.0% alc. Very dark, deep, black red, impenetrable. Full, very ripe berried fruit aromas with some oak toastiness and chocolate hints. Very full and solid on the palate, high tannin extraction resulting in a chunkiness. A modern, fulsome wine, rather than one of finesse. 18.0/20

Fruit from estate in Castegneto Carducci, near Bolgheri. 12 months in barriques. 13.5% alc. Deepish ruby red with a little orange age on edge. Very full, soft, ethereal nose, lifted and fragrant, with cedar, as well as savoury elements. Very fine-grained on the palate, the fruit a little dry from development, but very dense and concentrated. The flavours are reasonably complex. The extraction level is high, and may be a little too much. 17.5+/20

Flight Two: Sangiovese Blends

80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. Fruit from the Tignanello vineyard in Antinori's ‘Santa Cristina' estate in Chianti Classico. 14 months on new and 1 y.o. Troncais and Alliers barriques. 13.5% alc. Historically, this is the first Chianti Classico Riserva to evolve with the use of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend plus barrique aging. The leading and original ‘Super Tuscan' from the highly respected house of Antinori. Dark, deep black red with a hint of development on edge. Very tight and fine nose. Shy at first, but unfolds with lush dark cherry and berried aromas and a touch of oak. Rich and fresh on the palate with ripeness and sumptuousness. Fine-grained, intense tannins, with strength of body. Lovely dark fruit flavours and an oak sweetness in the most subtle way. Very long. 19.0/20

Sangiovese and Merlot from co-op growers around Murlo and Casciano di Murlo at Montalcino. 10 months in Slovenian oak. 13.5% alc. Impenetrable black red colour. Soft, full, plump plummy nose with a lusciousness and charry oak. Medium weighted wine, very juicy and fruity, but not quite the tannin and structure for grip. Quite open, and acid comes through on the finish, with a little coarseness. However, as one very experienced taster said "There's a lot of grapes in this wine!" 17.0-/20

50% Sangiovese, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon from Rocca's estates in Chianti Classico and Maremma. Sangiovese 9 months and Cabernet 13 months in Alliers barriques. 13.5% alc. Very dark, black red with purple. Very fine, perfumed and spicy, sweet lifted oak, over the fruit on the nose. Very New World in style. Medium to fuller style with full, rich and very ripe plum flavours, quite sumptuous and plush. The richness and sweetness dominates the fine tannins somewhat. Very attractive modern New World wine. 18.5+/20

50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot from the Sette Ponti estate near Arezzo. 12-18 months in new Alliers barriques. 14% alc. Very dark black red colour. Quite a pungent nose with a little earthiness, a little reductive or funky. Elegant on palate with plenty of lifted cedary fruit. Quite lush, with good acidity, very fine-grained. Attractively structured, and more traditional. 18.5-/20

Flight Three: Wines with Merlot

50% Merlot, 50% Syrah, from co-op growers at S.to Ippolito, near Florence. 10-12 months in barriques. 13.0% alc. Very dark, deep black red. Full, solid, dense and aromatic nose. Plenty of ripeness, with spices and pepper characters as well as leathery notes. The palate is very rich and ripe; quite juicy really, with syrah floral and pepper flavours. The acidity is well expressed, providing a freshness and almost a leanness, as well as a touch of sour-savoury component. The tannins kick in on the finish. Akin to a solid and flavoursome, quality northern Rhone style wine. Great value. 18.5-/20

40% Merlot , 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from the Carmignano region. Aged in barriques. 13.5% alc. The first Tuscan region to officially allow Cabernet Sauvignon to be grown, and in that sense, the first ‘Super Tuscan'. Black impenetrable red. Full nose that seems very Italian with its savoury and leathery aromas combined with the perfumed fruit