Sangiovese from Tuscany, Italy

Purchase Price: $14.99

James Suckling 91, Wilfred Wong 90, ElsBob 88

ABV 13%

A medium to dark garnet red, medium-bodied wine with aromas of red cherries and spice. Forward tannins and mild acidity give it a bit of structure, with a hint of sweetness that softens the edges. The finish is short but pleasing, an easy companion for pizza, tomato-based pastas, and hard cheeses.

A very good table wine at a reasonable price. Recent prices range between $14-24. Anything over $17 is a bridge too far.

Trivia: This wine hails from the Castellani family’s coastal vineyards in Tuscany, near the Tyrrhenian Sea, and is classified as a Toscana IGT. Though it’s made from 100% Sangiovese, a composition fully permissible under Chianti DOCG rules, it does not qualify as a Chianti, as the vineyards lie outside the designated Chianti zones.

The winemaker notes that they follow an “old traditional Tuscan vinification method.” Given the wine’s modest 13% ABV, this likely refers to fermentation in concrete vats, extended skin contact, and the use of native yeasts, a nod to pre-industrial winemaking. It almost certainly does not involve the more elaborate Governo all’Uso Toscano (translates roughly to Tuscan-style winemaking) method, which requires an early harvest, partial grape drying, and a second fermentation that typically results in higher alcohol and a richer body.