When it comes to my first true wine love, Italy holds my heart.

In normal years, I’m in Italy at least five times per year. Thanks to the worldwide situation, that number went down significantly in 2020 and the first part of 2021 (hopefully that changes in Q3 and Q4). The lack of travel meant that I did most of my tastings at home.

My Italian Wine Story

My love for Italian wine began with my first trip to Europe during a backpacking trip in graduate school. During that summer, my friends and I stopped in the walled city of Lucca (Tuscany). We ordered a liter of house wine made from Sangiovese.

Until then, I had only been drinking cheap, supermarket wines in America. I poured myself a glass of that house wine and just smelled the glass for five minutes straight. My friends looked at me like I was crazy. The aroma of that wine has stuck to me until this day.

As I started to grow up in the wine world and eventually work in it, my love for Italian wine never waivered. In fact, it became stronger. The mind-boggling amount of grape varieties and styles of wine in the country captures the attention of myself and wine lovers the world over. You could dedicate your entire life to Italian wine and still not cover everything the country has to offer.

If you want to learn about Italian wine, get out there and taste as much as you can. With the quality rising throughout the country, now is a better time than ever. Here are the best Italian wines that I tasted in the first half of 2021.

Italian Wine Recommendations:

• Roberto Mazzi, ‘Sanperetto’ Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2018

A blend of Corvina, Corvinone, Molinara, and Rondinella aged in oak for 12 months. There’s a brilliant nose here of blueberry, red cherry, and subtle hints of earth and dark chocolate. There are not wood flavors but the oak definitely adds to the texture. Medium-bodied and juicy with a subtle earthy finish. This isn’t the most complex wine in the world but this hits my palate just right. It’s very enjoyable and should pair great with a variety of pasta. Score: 91/100

• Roberto Mazzi, ‘Poeiega’ Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2017

This is a blend of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara. It’s made from late-harvested grapes that are laid out to dry for 40 days. Like a baby Amarone, it’s also aged for 24 months in wood. This is a little dusty on the nose at first but it starts to unveil with air. There are notes of black cherry, dark chocolate, forest pine, and a hint of pepper. It’s round and silky on the palate with some rich fruit. An attractive tangerine-like acidity runs through the center of the palate. The tannins offer just a little grip in the cheeks. Delicious on its own or with food. Score: 90/100

• Roberto Mazzi, ‘Castel’ Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2015

Single-vineyard Amarone. A blend of Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella, and Molinara dried for 100 days and aged in wood for 36 months. This is a savory, quintessential Amarone with notes of leather, dark chocolate, dried cherry, and tobacco. Full-bodied and rich, this is round and intense on the palate with chewy tannins. The fruit is rich at first but ends up being lighter on its feet thanks to the racey acidity that slices down the palate. It’s big at 16.5% alcohol but you don’t feel the hit and the acidity washes the palate clean. Score: 93/100

• Scarbolo, Refosco 2013

This is Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso made with partially dried grapes and aged in wood. This is a red that smells and tastes a lot younger than its age suggests. Notes of red forest fruit, meat, leather, cigar box, and pepper. It’s full-bodied and round on the palate, the fruit coats the mouth well. This grape can have a problem with too much acidity but that’s kept in check here. Lengthy, tart cherry-like finish. Score: 92/100

• Scarbolo, Mattia (Beyond Pinot) 2016

This is barrel-aged Pinot Grigio. Notes of slate, pineapple, red apple, white peach, white flower. The wood integration here is perfect. The wood never takes over the wine, it just adds structure and a sandy texture. There’s enough acidity here to keep the wine zippy. Long finish. Score: 91/100

• Paitin, ‘Campolive’ Barbera d’Alba Superiore 2017 

This is 100% Barbera aged in wood. It’s an ambitious red with notes of tobacco, dried cherry, mocha, dried cranberry, and earth – incredibly complex. The palate is loaded with bright red fruit. The tannins are fine and the acidity stretches out the finish. The acidity is high here so it probably would be best with food. It’s got all the goods to age in the cellar too. Top-notch Barbera. Score: 91+/100  

• Paitin, ‘Ca Veja’ Nebbiolo d’Alba 2017

The ‘Ca Veja’ is 100% Nebbiolo. Gorgeous nose of leather, dried rose petal, cranberry, and tobacco. The palate is delicate with a great balance between savory notes of bright red fruits. There are many layers here. The tannins hit hard in the back end like all Nebbiolos. The finish is long and refined. At this price point, stock this up, throw it in the cellar, and watch the magic happen. Score: 91+/100 

• Paitin, ‘Serraboella’ Barbaresco 2017 

This is a generous and fruity Barbaresco. It’s a plush, easy-to-drink Barbaresco. Notes of dried cherry, dried cranberry, mocha, and tar are present here. The front palate is so round and plush, there’s plenty of fruit up front with the typical Nebbiolo complexities on the back end. The tannins here are very soft for a young Barbaresco, making this a crowd-pleaser. Yes, this can age but it’s so darn delicious now. Score: 93/100

• Paitin, ‘Sorì Paitin’ Barbaresco 2017

From a specific plot in the Serraboella vineyard. This is a bit tighter and shyer than the standard Barbaresco from Paitin. It’s more on the earthy side than its sibling. The perfume, rose petal, and tar stands out here with fresh cranberry and sour cherry fruit. It’s more savory and linear on the palate than the standard Serraboella Barbaresco. The tannins are bigger here too. This is a wine to lie down in the cellar and let it mature and develop. It should be a blockbuster with time, be patient. Score: 94/100

• Mauro Sebaste, ‘Trèsüri’ Barolo 2017

I loved the previous vintage of this wine. It’s a blend of three vineyards. The leather and tar stand out here up front along with the mocha, dried cherry, and cranberry notes. There’s plenty of earthiness here along with the fruit, it very much acts like a red Burgundy. The medley of tobacco, red fruit, and earth go together perfectly in the palate before the tannins hit hard. Another beautiful, standard Barolo. Score: 92/100

• Mauro Sebaste, ‘Cerretta’ Barolo 2017

This is a single vineyard Barolo from the Serralunga commune. Impressive nose of earth, leather, red cherry, fresh cranberry, and mocha. This is a rich Barolo. It’s generous upfront with plenty of fruit. It’s all fruit on the front end and all earthiness on the backend. Ripe tannins that add just a touch of grip. Long finish. This has a future ahead of it but is also delicious now. Bravo on another great effort from Mauro Sebaste. Score: 94/100 

• Fattoria della Aiola, Chianti Classico Riserva 2017

Mostly Sangiovese aged for 24 months in oak. This is a deep and rich Chianti Classico with notes of black cherry, sour cherry, soil, and plenty of tobacco. The nose is really complex. The palate is brighter than the nose would suggest. I thought at first it might be too ripe but the plenty of red fruit and gorgeous, tangy acidity grace the palate. The tannins here are a little bigger than the standard Chianti Classico but are in no way too much. This is a structured effort that should do well with time in the bottle. Score: 92/100

• Fattoria della Aiola, ‘Cancello Rosso’ Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2017

This is mostly Sangiovese aged in wood for 30 months. There are more notes from the wood in this wine than the previous two but it’s not overdone. Sweet cedar, tobacco, pepper, and earth accompany the sour cherry flavors. The palate is layered and complex but it needs more time in the bottle for the wood to melt in. Ripe tannins and a long finish. I prefer the Chianti Classico Riserva a little more at this point but the Cancello Rosso should prove to be the better wine in the long haul. Score: 92+/100 

• Monterotondo, Vigna Vaggliota Chianti Classico 2017

This is a beautiful wine that is mostly Sangiovese with some Canaiolo and Malvasia Nera. Beautiful notes of sour cherry, baking spice, sweet cedar, and leather. Medium-bodied with plenty of tangy acidity. The red fruit and earth flavors are held together but citrusy acidity. Tannins add just a touch of grip. Score: 91+/100

• Monterotondo, ‘Vigna Seretina’ Chianti Classico Riserva 2016

This is mostly Sangiovese with a touch of Malvasia Nera. This is a bigger Chianti Classico with notes of black cherry, mocha, tobacco, and dried spices. Full-bodied and complex. This has a wonderful balance of fruit and earthy notes. The wood is integrated perfectly here, it adds a little bit of seasoning but never masks the wine. Round tannins and a long finish. Score: 93+/100

• Boscarelli, ‘Il Nocio’ Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2016

This is 100% Sangiovese. Gorgeous nose of sour cherry, crushed flowers, earth, tobacco, and a touch of leather. It’s a medium-bodied red with a lot of nuances. The fruit isn’t the focus here, it’s the layers and complexity. The tannins coat the mouth perfectly, they are grippy but not too drying. Citrusy acidity guides the long finish. This is a real winner from this fabulous producer. Score: 94+/100

• Boscarelli, ‘Costa Grande’ Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2015

100% Sangiovese. Noted of black cherry, chewing tobacco, leather, earth, and a touch of menthol. The nose is a tad shy but the flavors explode on the palate. The wine has a great mix of fruit and savory notes. The concentration of the fruit and flavors is excellent. There are many layers to this wine with mouth-coating tannins. It still can improve with time in the bottle. Long finish. This is all about mouthfeel and the most impressive wine I’ve tasted from Boscarelli. Score: 95/100

• Boscarelli, ‘Sotto Casa’ Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2015

This is a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Merlot. This is a denser Vino Nobile. There is a core of black cherry, chewing tobacco, cassis, graphite, and a touch of earth. This is full-bodied and very complex. This is plush on the palate with a silky quality to it thanks to the Merlot. Round tannins. Score: 93+/100

• Salcheto, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2017 

The Vino Nobile from Salcheto is 100% Sangiovese and it shows a nice touch of wood. The wood shows up the form of sweet cedar along with flavors of sour cherry, red raspberry, and leather. It’s full-bodied red, with roundness from time in the barrel. The acidity here is bright and the tannins are pretty grippy, so make sure to have some meat handy. Long finish. Score: 91/100

• Salcheto, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva 2016

This Vino Nobile Riserva is 100% Sangiovese aged in wood. Notes of sour cherry, black cherry, graphite, tobacco, and menthol. It’s full-bodied and round on the palate. This is more focused on fruit than the standard Salcheto, Vino Nobile. The wine has big, round tannins with stellar oak integration. This is a crowd-pleaser. Score: 91+/100

• Salcheto, Biskero Chianti 2020

This is mostly Sangiovese with small amounts of Caniaolo, Mammolo, and Merlot. It’s a beautiful, inexpensive red wine with plenty of sour cherry, earth, and pepper flavors. What’s impressive for this wine at this price point is the texture. It doesn’t feel like a thin, cheap red. There’s plenty of fruit with soft tannins and a respectable finish for a wine at this price. Score: 89/100

*This wine is a steal at around 12 USD a bottle.

• Camerani. ‘Corte Sant’Alda’ Soave 2019

A gorgeous, easy-drinking Soave with notes of lemon, white peach, crushed rocks, and a touch of yogurt. This is a lighter white wine but one still with a hint of complexity. The fruit comes out on the nose but it’s the mineral and lemon notes on the end that pulls me in. This is a fabulous white at a good price point. Score: 90/100

• Inama, ‘Carbonare’ Soave Classico 2019

The Carbonanare is a rich Soave made from 100% Garganega. Notes of mineral, banana, white pear, and yogurt notes. It is aged in stainless steel but it has the mouthfeel and richness of a wine that was aged in oak. It doesn’t have the razor-sharp acidity that many Soave have but it does have complexity. It’s round and soft on the palate with a good bite in the mid-palate. Score 91/100

The wines above are samples. The opinions expressed in this article are unsolicited and have not been paid for in any way by governmental bodies, enterprises, or individuals. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

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Sangiovese is where our palates meet, more specifically Chianti Classico.

Charine and I don’t always agree on wines except for fine Sangiovese from the heart of Tuscany. Riecine is no stranger to producing great examples. The oldest records know Riecine as belonging to a monastery but it wasn’t until the late Briton John Dunkley purchased the property in 1971.

The wines gained critical acclaim and have passed through the hands of several owners since Dunkley’s passing. Since 2011, Riecine is family-owned by Lana Frank and managed by winemaker Alessandro Campatelli. He continues to put the estate’s focus on Sangiovese.

“I want to make wine as it should be in Chianti Classico, not how markets see it. In the past years, I started learning how to use concrete with Sangiovese, respecting the grapes and not over oxidizing the wines,” Alessandro says.

We met Alessandro at James Suckling’s Great Wines of Italy Hong Kong and were immediately impressed with the wines. A few months after the meeting, we found ourselves at the Riecine estate in Gaiole in Chianti. The only way to the estate is a single track, dirt road which gives way to fantastic views.

Riecine’s vineyards are high elevation, in the heart of Chianti Classico. They range from 430 to 600 meters (1400 – 1970 feet) above sea level. Standing in vineyards and looking down into the small villages of Vinci and Barbischio gave us a new understanding of Chianti Classico. The cool air and steep hills give an alpine feel. It’s the fresh air and cool nights that help the wines retain their tangy acidity.

Riecine Latest Sangiovese Releases

The latest set of Sangiovese based wines from Riecine span the 2016, 2017, and 2018 vintages. The 2016 vintage is regarded as one of the greatest vintages in recent Tuscan history. All of the wines show the Riecine house style, vibrant red fruit flavors with smooth mid palates and juicy acidity. Riecine has quickly become one of our favorite Tuscan wineries and we look forward to following their progress.

Alessandro doesn’t appear to rest on Riecine’s laurels. “In the future, I see Riecine at the top of the pyramid in winemaking. We are in a fantastic area, selected by monks centuries ago for their cultivations. The secret is not to be influenced by the market,” he says.

After tasting the latest vintages, it looks as if they are on the right path.

Wine Recommendations:

• Riecine, Palmina Rosé 2019

The Riecine, Palmina Rosé is 100% Sangiovese aged four months in concrete. Made from grapes grown specifically for rosé. Salmon in color with notes of watermelon jolly rancher, strawberry, and a touch of green apple. Dry rosé with an orange peel-like finish and citrusy acidity. Crisp and easy to drink. Score: 88/100

• Riecine, Chianti Classico 2018

The Riecine, Chianti Classico is bright, easy to drink, and tons of fun. It has notes of sour cherry, forest floor, cedar, and mineral. Very good Chianti Classico with both sweet and sour red fruit. A tight backbone of acidity stretches the tangy finish. This should age very well in the cellar. Multiple layers of texture and pure pleasure to drink. I could drink this all day, every day. This is a wine to buy by the case (or two, or three). Score: 91/100

• Riecine, Chianti Classico Riserva 2017

The Riecine, Chianti Classico Riserva is darker and denser than the standard Chianti Classico. Notes of mocha, tobacco, violets, and black cherry emerges from the glass. Full-bodied and rich with chewy tannins. This is a wine to lie down in the cellar as the tannins need to soften. The tangy, tangerine peel-like spine of acidity stretches the finish. Score: 92+/100

• Riecine, ‘Riecine’ Toscana Rosso 2016

The Riecine, ‘Riecine’ Toscana Rosso is 100% Sangiovese that saw no oak. It was aged in concrete eggs for 36 months. Very earthy nose with fall leaves, mud, sour cherry, and white pepper. Lots of finesse on the mid-palate. This is a Sangiovese that dances on your tongue. Tangy acidity with a low level of tannins. Think of it as a Sangiovese made in the aspirations of a fine red Burgundy. Score: 92+/100

• Riecine, La Gioia 2016

The Riecine, ‘La Gioia’ translates to “the joy”. It’s a dark, full-bodied Sangiovese that is ripe but yet feels graceful. Notes of sour cherry, black raspberry, mahogany, tobacco, and mocha. This wine has the perfect amount of full body and chewiness without feeling jammy or flabby. Many layers of texture with a spine of tangerine acidity. Showing good length, this is rich Sangiovese as it should be. A lot of concentration and body for only 13.5 % ABV. It’s noticeably richer than previous vintages we’ve tasted. In past vintages, we preferred the Riecine Toscana Rosso more than the La Gioaia, but that preference has flipped with the 2016s. Score: 94/100

Riecine New Vintage Update: 30 March 2021

• Riecine, Chianti Classico 2019

Another delicious vintage of the Riecine, Chianti Classico. It is 100% Sangiovese aged for 14 months in wood. There are notes of wild strawberry, earth, rhubarb, and even a touch of pepper. The wine is shy on the nose but the palate brings plenty of acidity and electricity. This wine has a perfect balance of being modern and easy to accept along with maintaining the beauty that is Chianti Classico. Chewy tannins and a long finish. This may be young but it’s loads of fun now. Score: 91/100

• Riecine, Chianti Classico Riserva 2018

The Riecine, Chianti Classico Riserva is 100% Sangiovese aged for 24 months in big cask. It’s bigger than the standard Chianti Classico with notes of cherry, dark chocolate, forest floor, and hints of white pepper. Full-bodied and suave on the palate, this is flat-out delicious. It’s got the right balance of fruit and earthy tones combined with vibrant acidity. The tannins are pretty substantial here, so make sure to have some meat nearby long. With a long finish and flawless oak integration, I prefer this to the 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva. Score: 93+/100

• Riecine, ‘Riecine’ Toscana Rosso 2017

The Riecine Toscana Rosso is Sangiovese that was aged for 36 months in concrete eggs and then another six months in bottle. This is my favorite vintage of this wine with notes of sour cherry, cranberry, pomegranate, and damp forest. This is top-notch Sangiovese, it’s pure and allows the fruit to really shine. There’s plenty of tart red fruit notes upfront and generous acidity that stretches the finish. Thanks to this acidity, there’s an electricity to this wine that I usually associate with Riesling. It’s a brilliant wine made in a Burgundy style. Score: 94+/100

• Riecine, La Gioia 2017

The Riecine, La Gioia is Sangiovese aged for 30 months in wood. Notes of cherry, dried cranberry, tobacco, and a touch of sweet cedar. Luscious on the palate with plenty of fruit. Everything is in perfect balance here for a full-bodied Sangiovese. The tannins here are the highlight, for a young wine they are round and ready to be drunk now. The acidity here is sufficient but it’s kept in check compared to the other Riecine offerings. Long finish. Score: 94/100 

• Riecine, ‘TreSette 777’ Merlot 2017

The Riecine, ‘TreSette 777’ is 100% Merlot aged in large casks for 20 months. This is the second vintage of this Merlot that’s generated a lot of buzz in recent years. It’s more on the red fruit spectrum with fruity notes of cherry and red plum. There’s plenty of tobacco flavors here and just a hint of pencil shavings mixed in with mud. Full-bodied and silky on the palate, there’s plenty to like here. The tannins are grippy without being drying and the acidity is juicy. Long finish. I don’t know if this will last a long time in the cellar but it doesn’t matter, it’s so darn delicious now. Score: 93/100

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Thanks to Riecine for providing a set of samples for us to taste. Cover photo is from the Riecine website. Please note that the opinions expressed are our own and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

The post Riecine Looking Forward: Tuscan Sangiovese Lineup appeared first on Wine Travel.

Hello! Welcome to As Drunk by Exotic Wine Travel, a weekly column where we feature interesting wines that we encourage you to seek out. The reviews featured in this series may be written by either one or the both of us. The featured wines can be from obscure or well-known wine regions. We hope that these wine recommendations will keep you gastronomically curious and your palate invigorated.

Virtual Tasting the Montefioralle, Chianti Classico Riserva & Vin Santo 2016

We are usually on the road, traveling full-time. Thanks to COVID19, 2020 is different. Instead of tromping through vineyards and sharing meals with producers, we are cooking ourselves while tasting through boxes of samples that arrive at our rented apartment.

Virtual tastings have become commonplace in the wine world and we were invited to one to a Chianti Classico producer, Montefioralle Winery. Katarina Anderson of Grapevine Adventures set up and invited me to the virtual tasting. If you read our site, you know that I love Sangiovese and jumped at the opportunity to taste these wines.

The virtual tasting with Montefioralle was a great experience. Proprietors Alessia and Lorenzo Sieni walked us through the vineyards and cellar, explaining everything. It wasn’t as good as being in Tuscany, but it was the next closest thing. Lorenzo was frank and honest, explaining his use of selected yeasts for fermentation and the challenges for the winery moving forward.

“The biggest challenge is the climate changing”, Lorenzo says. “My father used to pick Sangiovese in the first week of October. In 2017, we picked on 16 September.”

Montefioralle is tiny, only 12,000 bottles per year maximum from four hectares of vineyards in Greve, about 350 meters above sea level. They just received their organic certificate from the 2019 harvest. They have no importers and sell all of their wines at the cellar and direct to consumers. The wines definitely have a place on the market.

• Montefioralle, Chianti Classico Riserva 2016

The Montefioralle, Chianti Classico 2016 is an old school red, in a good way. I love the wine, while Charine isn’t as crazy about it. It’s not a polished wine and to me, that’s a great thing.

This is mostly Sangiovese with small amounts of Canaiolo and Colorino. There are notes of black olive, sour cherry, tobacco, cedar, and mocha. Give this a few hours to air and really sing. Full-bodied with rich fruit and savory nuances. Bright acidity and chewy tannins. It’s a good representation of traditional Chianti Classico. Some may complain that the wine tastes older than its true age but I love the development from bottle patina.

Score: 91/100

• Montefioralle, Vin Santo Dei Chianti Classico 2016

The Montefioralle, Vin Santo Dei Chianti Classico 2016 is made of Malvasia di Chianti and Trebbiano. The grapes are dried before they are vinified to concentrate the sugars. Only 800 bottles are made in the best years.

It is made from Malvasia and Trebbiano hung to dry for months before being vinified and aged for three years in small barrels. This is rich, layered, and complex. Notes of walnut, toffee, dried figs, tobacco, and smoke. This is rich and mouth-filling. It has plenty of dried fruit notes upfront with a rush of dried orange rind-like acidity on the back end. Lay this down in the cellar and watch the magic happen.

Score: 93+/100

You can find out more about our scoring system on the WINE RATING page.

📦📪 Montefioralle ships direct to consumers all over Europe and even Australia, and the USA. You can check out their wines on their webshop.

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Montefioralle provided tasting samples. Please note that the opinions expressed are our own and have not been paid for in any way. We do not sell editorial content as that would destroy the legitimacy of our reviews and the trust between Exotic Wine Travel and its readers. On occasion, we extend the option of purchasing the wines we review or/and the products we spotlight. Some of these product links are set up through affiliate programs, which means Exotic Wine Travel gets referral credits if you choose to purchase these items via the links we provide.

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