I am finding that I really, truly, love me some Italian wine.
I’m also trying to work my way towards joining the Wine Century Club, acceptance to which is earned by drinking the wine of at least 100 grape varieties. I’m working on it, and this wine recently helped me by scratching canaiolo and colorino (aka lambrusco) off the list.
The wine is 90% sangiovese, 7% colorino, 3% canaiolo, from a single vineyard named Soffocone in Tuscany, which overlooks the city of Florence on a southern-exposed hillside surrounded by olive orchards.
Damn, that just screams “ITALIA!,” doesn’t it?
The wine is dark garnet at its core, and lightens to a light red (not pink) at the edge. The nose is bright and cheery, with ripe raspberry and a slight strawberry note.
On the palate, the wine’s dark color is betrayed once again as it leaps forth with more raspberry, but also with a hint of black pepper. The Soffocone is light-bodied, and easily drinkable. Quite enjoyable, actually. In the glass it almost looks like nebbiolo or something similarly big, bold, and tannic. But the sangio from this particular vineyard gives a quite different experience from a big, complex, intricate Brunello (for example).
Verdict: 88/100