This blog is based on the Spirits of New Mexico radio show that aired on February 27, 2021. We do on-air tasting of one or two wines to illustrate what is available in a particular wine region, or as a contrast of what influence a wine region has on a grape or blend. We use suitable glasses for the type of wine and do a double-decant of red wines to insure they have opened sufficiently for accurate judging.
Once again we return to the Tuscany wine region where many of Italy’s best wines are made. Many of these wines end up on the top 100 wine lists. Part of the reason is that so many varied and expressive wines come from here. This is also our third outing sampling a super Tuscan wine. The term did not come into vogue until the 1980s with at least three writer/critics as source. Typically the wine label identifies them as Toscana wines. It is a different category of Tuscan wine to be sure.
Super Tuscan wines originated in Italy in Tuscany as one would expect. They are based on Italian and non-Italian grapes, which places them outside the DOC and DOCG categories, which had listed only certain Italian grapes, most notably Sangiovese as approved. However, times have changed, as they are wont to do and now a DOC-rated wine can use non-Italian grapes! Simply shocking. So to review:
Italian wine ratings
DOC/DOCG: These relate to quality standards that define the types of Italian grapes permitted, aging requirements, etc. DOC is a broader classification, while DOCG is more restrictive and defines more rigorous growing, aging and quality specifications. The standards also relate to physical locations defined similar to AVA (American Viticultural Area) standards, but also define quality.
- For example, the Chianti region is rated DOC, but the Chianti Classico subregion is a DOCG
- In Italy there are 329 DOC regions and 73 DOCG.
- Superiore on a label indicates a wine with higher alcohol, more detail on label, longer aging requirements and better quality grapes
- Riserva refers to additional aging standards, generally 1 year, but this varies by region
- IGP/IGT: This newer standard was created to address wines made with non-Italian grapes
Tuscan wines and grapes
Sangiovese is the premier red wine grape, often blended with other red or white grapes. More Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are being grown there, influenced by the super Tuscan wines. In fact, Italy is the second largest grower of Merlot after France. While the reds dominate many Tuscan listings there are also exceptional whites to discover using Trebbiano, Vermentino and Vernaccia Italian white grapes.
Super Tuscan History
If one was not dealing with regulatory organizations, a winemaker, knowing classic Bordeaux grapes would respond as well in Italian soil as French would have been making wines from them long before the frustration of a slow-responding bureaucracy finally caused that schism in the 1970s.
Two winemaking families greatly influenced the creation of super Tuscans. When Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta married Marchesa Clarice della Gherardesca in 1930, her dowry included the 7,500-acre Tenuta San Guido. That’s one heck of a dowry. Nowadays, the estate is better known by the name of its world-famous wine, Sassicaia. The Italian word Tenuta means estate. You will see that word on many Italian wineries.
Wine map courtesy Antinori website
- In 1944, della Rocchetta planted the San Guido estate’s first vineyard, Castiglioncello, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Simple unheard of back then!
- In 1965, he planted a second vineyard, Sassicaia, from which he produced the first vintage in 1968. Tenuta San Guido released its first bottles to market in 1971.
- Located 650 feet below the Castiglioncello vineyard, Sassicaia is planted on a 30-acre plot of gravelly soil. Translating to “the place of many stones,” Sassicaia mirrors Graves in Bordeaux
- Nicoló Incisa, the Marchese’s son, took an increasing role and began lowering vineyard yields and modernizing production methods.
- In 1974 at a Decanter-sponsored wine tasting, a Sassicaia won over top Bordeaux wine, foreshadowing the 1976 Judgment of Paris.
- Bolgheri DOC is a unique coastal region within Tuscany, influenced by the super Tuscans
In 1971 the prestigious Antinori family created a super Tuscan called Tignanello. (teen-ya-nell-oh)
- Marchesi Antinori introduced its Tignanello wine under the direction of Nicoló’s cousin, Piero Antinori. The family crest: Te Duce Proficio (You helped guide)
- In 1992 a new category, IGT was created to cover super Tuscan wines, which identified a region, but not a grape
- Soon other Italian winemakers created blends with non-Italian grapes, using the IGT category
- Tignanello is now a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cab. Sauvignon and 5% Cab. Franc
- Sassicaia is 85% Cab. Sauvignon 15% Cab. Franc and is often rated 98 to 100 points
It’s not just the grapes
Planting French grapes is only one of the factors for creating a super Tuscan. Another is how the wine is aged and what it’s aged in. Under the elder Marchese’s helm, the estate aged wines in 225-liter Slovenian oak barrels. The casks broke from the traditions of nearby Chianti, where large oak aging vats were commonplace.
The highly extracted wines that emerged from the smaller barrels were hard and tannic. This character gave them great aging potential, but also meant the wines required extended periods in bottle. Starting with the 1977 vintage, Tenuta San Guido introduced French Tronçais oak barriques (also 225 liters) for aging, which proved to strike the right balance and dramatically improve quality at an earlier age.
Bolgheri DOC (est. 1994)
Considering the prestige of these two founders it was not long before a new DOC was formed in Bolgheri where both winemaking families reside. Bolgheri is very near the Ligurian Sea on Italy’s west coast and backed by a few miles of rolling hills. Clearly coastal influence is a big factor as is the soil and the micro climate which is sunny, dry and moderately windy. The Bordeaux grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot thrive. DOC regulations are listed below.
Bolgheri Rosso and Bolgheri Rosé:
- Sangiovese up to 70%, above that must be classified IGT.
- Cabernet Sauvignon from 10 to 80%, Merlot, up to 80% other local red varieties, up to 30%.
- Rosso must be aged for 24 months.
Antinori Family History
The name Antinori has been famous in Italy since the 1380s. Now 26 generations later is still making wine and better than ever. The Antinori wine family is, easily, the longest existing family-run wine business of all time. The current patriarch, Piero Antinori, has designated his three daughters to continue the tradition. The first time women were allowed to become grape growers and wine makers. They modestly see themselves as basically farmers, but what wonderful wines they make.
- In the 1980s, Marchese Piero’s three daughters, Albiera, Allegra and Alessia, began working in the family business.
- In 1985 the family celebrated 600 years of winemaking activities. On this special occasion, Marchese Piero Antinori took ownership of the Pèppoli Estate.
- The following year the wine magazine Decanter named Marchese Piero Antinori “Man of The Year”.
What we are tasting: Antinori Guado Tasso Bruciato 2018 14.0 % ABV, $28
The Guado al Tasso estate is located in the Bolgheri DOC appellation on the coast of Upper Maremma, about one hundred kilometers southwest of Florence. This appellation was established in 1994. The estate covers 1000 hectares (2500 acres), about 320 (790 acres) are planted with vines.
Climate: The 2018 vintage was characterized by frequent rainfall, particularly during the months between winter and spring. This guaranteed excellent reserves of ground water in the soil, which was notably reduced after a dry 2017. A regular summer, with typical warm and dry weather, assured fine conditions for a steady and gradual ripening. Picking began with the Merlot on the first ten days of September, then the Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon harvested on the final ten days of September.
Vinification: The grapes were de-stemmed upon arrival in the cellars and given a soft pressing. The crop was fermented at a temperature of 82-86 °Fahrenheit in temperature-controlled, stainless steel fermentation tanks for 15-16 days. A part of the Merlot and Syrah must (fermenting juice and skins) was fermented at a lower temperature to better conserve varietal aromas. The Cabernet Sauvignon was blended with Merlot and Syrah and aged in barrique before bottling.
Historical Data: The remainder is richly covered with wheat fields, sunflowers and olive groves, set in a beautiful plain encircled by rolling hillsides known as the “Bolgheri amphitheater” due to its particular shape. Guado al Tasso’s vineyards are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Vermentino. The nearby sea provides a mild climate with constant breezes mitigate summer heat and alleviate harsh winter weather, maintaining a clear sky and a high level of sunlight.
Tasting Notes: The 2018 Il Bruciato vintage shows an intense ruby red color. The nose has notes of ripe red berry and sweet spices. The palate offers a fine structure and balance. Light sensations of mint and liquorice add complexity to the finish.
Finding Super Tuscan wines
As one might expect, locating a super Tuscan when it appears nowhere on the label can be tricky. The IGT category is helpful, but many IGT wines are not super Tuscan or even “super”.
- Both IGT and Toscana (Tuscany) must appear on the label or
- Bolgheri DOC Rosso is another possibility
- Often the wines have a unique name, like Tignanello or Sassicaia
- Tenuta San Guido vineyards
What we are tasting: Regina di Renieri 2016 Toscana IGT ABV 14.5% $39.99 at Total Wines
Tenuta Renieri comprises just over 300 acres right in the Brunello di Montalcino zone, on slopes that face Monte Amiata. The single Regina Vineyard, where the grapes for this wine are sourced is just 7 acres at high elevation and it’s planted with Syrah which responds incredibly well to the volcanic soils and warm microclimate. Proprietor Marco Bacci crafts only 2500 cases of this 100% Syrah aged 18 months in French Allier oak barrels. The wine is unfiltered so might show some sediment.
Vineyards: Thirty hectares of vineyards are planted at an elevation of 1150 to 1380 feet, their exposures forming an arc from southeast to southwest. New vines were planted in 1998, at a density of 6,000 vines per hectare. The yield is 2.2 pounds per vine; or one bottle of wine, and insures perfectly ripened fruit.
Tasting notes: Concentrated, ruby-red color with distinct purple nuances. On the nose, dark berries such as blueberry and mulberry then spicy notes such as juniper and pepper, followed by well-defined notes of leather and tobacco. The entry is mouth-filling showing a full body with unresolved tannins blending with the alcohol. Long, flavorful finish enlivened by well-balanced acids.
James Suckling scored this 98 points saying “Wow. Amazing nose of crushed berries, tea, iodine, oyster shell and bark. Forest flowers, too. Full body. Dense and layered with great intensity and length. Pure Syrah. Incredible. Drink or hold.”
Tasting analysis
Both wines show excellent balance with delicious fruit and lushness. Both will benefit from additional aging but are drinking fine now. Both possess crispness and the character to pair with many foods and provide very good value for the price. While I’d quibble a bit with James Suckling’s rating I felt I got more than my money’s worth from the Renieri; a well-respected wine maker in Italy. I also appreciated the lack of filtering and fining that preserved all of the rich Syrah fruit.
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