Tuscany, Italy – Blend: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot
In the glass, the wine is dark ruby red around the rim a solid looking wine.Much to my surprise the perfume of lavender and sweet black fruits, are filling the room; well, they are extremely fresh and jumping from the glass at least, but I wasn’t expecting so much fresh ripe fruit on the nose.
As the wine opens up even further a little star anise and dried black cherries are no creeping in, taking the wine in another direction, a little spicy rather than sweet.
The wine is fruit driven on the nose and flows through to the plate, which is where the fine tannins mingle with the still fresh acid producing a stunning European Cab/Merlot from a
good vintage.
For the people in the know this wine is from the producers of Sassicaia the only wine from a single estate in Italy to have its own DOC.
Thus, for me giving this lesser offspring a solid pedigree and making it a bit of a bargain for drinkers of Italian wines.
Like most Italian wines it is best enjoyed with food and my choice was a traditional Italian Lasagna slow cooked in a wood fired oven.
Thank you; Nan, she cooks it every Sunday with crisp roast potatoes – rain, hail or shine.
The smoke from the red gum used in the stove infuses with the pasta taking it to another level. People would pay top dollar for Nan’s Lasagna in restaurant, I reckon!
Any-way back to reality and the wine, for the drinkers of Italian wine who enjoy the dry savoury fruit flavours.
This wine delivers in spades. It has power and good fruit, from a good vintage, all in prefect balance with fruit and tannin, from a good vineyard and wine maker. In my mind a
wine bargain even at this price.
I would recommend trying this Cab/Merlot.
However, don’t expect Australian fruit sweetness this wine is a different beast indeed.
Michael Lillis
The Rot has set in.
