Great Sangiovese QPR in the Maremma
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A Sangiovese
Secret
It's relatively easy to find
superior, satisfying wine,
if you are free to pay top dollar, but for most of
us, that's usually not the case. Rather, we must find alternative ways to
consistently fill our glasses with wine that pleases, without taking a beating
financially. Indeed, one of the most satisfying aspects of the wine hobby can
be finding those wines that provide a high quality-to-price ratio (QPR).
Oftentimes, these opportunities come from regions that are less known, and
therefore less in demand.
Morellino di Scansano is a wine region that provides
exactly that sort of QPR.
Yes, good
Sangiovese values can be found in some of the better known regions, such as Chianti,
Vino Noble di Montepulciano, and even the Rosso di Montalcino DOC,
but the ease of finding value in those areas cannot compare to Morellino di
Scansano. My impression of the Morellino wines was one of consistent,
sometimes even very high quality,
and always
at an attractive price.
Morellino Di Scansano DOCG
Located in the southwest corner of Tuscany,
in the Maremma region, about 100 km south of Siena, this
picturesque DOCG area (DOCG is the highest quality assurance level in Italy)
is a great source of top values in Sangiovese wines. Morellino is what they
call the local clone of Sangiovese, and Scansano is the small town located
roughly in the middle of the production zone. This region benefits greatly from
its close proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea, located just
west of the zone, which provides a regular fluctuation of temperature between
day and night, giving balance to the maturation of the grapes. The resulting
wines, in general, have finesse, nice acidity, and good balance.
The laws of this DOCG require a
minimum of 85% Sangiovese, allowing 15% of other varietals to be included,
although some producers prefer 100% Sangiovese in their expression. Recently I
had opportunity to speak with Balbino
Terenzi, whose
family winery is one of the top producers in the region. He indicated that they
prefer not to ‘use other grapes as a shortcut to character, but rather to let
the expression of the Sangiovese come through on its own’. The Terenzi “Madrechiesa”
Morellino di Scansano Riserva, 2009, was awarded Tre Bicchieri by Gambero Rosso
this year. My notes on their Riserva are included below. As fine as this bottle
is, it will still only cost you about $23, an outstanding value, and about as
high a price as you will see. Actually, most Morellinos run between $11 and
$20, and they are readily available from most good wine retailers.
There is a fairly
broad range of quality levels that can bear the name Morellino Di Scansano,
with approximately 520 different producers currently making this wine. By law,
the wines can be sold as early as March 1st of the year after the
vintage on the label, so many are straightforward and uncomplicated. Still,
most of the base level entries, around 11 bucks, are well worth the modest
outlay; you could call them great pizza wines. As I tasted through the examples
below, and searched for them on-line, I was consistently surprised by the low prices,
especially in comparison to wines of similar quality from other regions.
If you're willing to
spend just a few dollars more, excellent, complex wines of depth and character
can be found here as well. With little
effort, some very fine examples, like the Terenzi mentioned earlier, can be
located, and again at a great price.
So if you like the
profile of Sangiovese, and Sangiovese blends (think “Super Tuscan”) with good
acidty and tannins, nice cherry fruit, and a silky texture, try a couple
of bottles from the Morellino Di Scansano region.
It’s not difficult to find a satisfying one, so you’re working with
pretty safe odds selecting wines from this group.
And isn't that the
idea behind a DOCG designation anyway, to assure quality and consistency? It
seems to be working in this case.
Some General Impressions
Texture: Repeatedly I noticed a
smooth or silky texture in the wines, which is often something associated with
contact with wood during aging, but in most cases these wines had only seen
contact with stainless steel. This, apparently, is a characteristic of the
growing region.
Dried Herb Notes: There were a lot
of underbrush / dried herb / aromatic wood notes that I personally love to
see in Sangiovese based wines.
Red and black cherry fruit: Classic Sangiovese fruit, with varying styles of cherry flavors and aromas, and excellent acidity, is ubiquitous here, as you will see in my notes.
Quality / Consistency: Tasting through more than a dozen different wines, I found
almost every one of them worth drinking again, or sharing with friends; that
says a lot.
My Tasting Notes
Rich earth and mushroom notes at
first, giving way to lovely dried herbs, and dried red cherry skins. On the
palate, elegant black and red cherry, with more dried herbs, black pepper (only
on the palate), and a suggestion of tomato. Well balanced, with an interesting
charred wood bite in the acidity, and very fine grained, dusty tannins. There
is a persistent finish, with good length, more dried herbs, some aromatic wood,
and lean blackberry. The Le Sentinelle is an excellent wine; a nice combination
of masculinity and elegance. This is Mantellassi's top of the line Morellino di
Scansano, from a single 2.5 ha vineyard, and aged for 20 months in French oak.
Typically, its composition is 85% Sangiovese and 15% Alicante.
This well made, serious wine can be found for around $20. 91 Pts.
Lean black cherry and brambles on
the nose with a hint of funkiness. There's a subtle richness at the core of the
nose as well, with a sort of crème brulee note and some Asian spice. The
suggestion of vanilla is surprising here, since this wine sees no oak in its
elevage. The palate has mouth watering acidity, subdued tannins, sage, and some
coffee. The composition is 85% Sangiovese, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Canaiolo
Nero making up the balance. 89 Pts.
La Selva, Colli del Uccellina, 2009
Starts off with good depth of fruit
on the nose, showing ripe black cherry, lovely perfume notes, sweet aromatics,
and some vanilla. Very solid and focused at first. The palate is smooth in texture, with moderate acidity
and limited tannins. There is black cherry again on the palate, with a hint of
grilled meat, and a brief finish. Sadly, the initially beautiful nose faded significantly after being open for
an hour or so. Persistent heat on the finish. 87 Pts.
Starts off with a nice
complimentary balance of dusty dried black berry, and underbrush on the nose
with sage, and a hint of orange rind. There’s a nice full weight / texture on
the palate, which is fairly big in character with black berry flavors and black
cherry as well. The balance is excellent. Later notes of eucalyptus show in the
nose and a bit of tomato juice on the palate. Generally very nice and complete,
although there is not much finesse on the finish. 89 Pts.
Red cherry skins on the nose,
without much else. There is a metallic note at first on the palate that
eventually fades leaving lean red cherry flavors and minerals. A bit
disjointed, with quite a bit of minerality on the finish. 80 Pts
Dense black cherry, a hint of
violets, and a little funk at first on the nose. Mouth watering, and a little
chewy on the palate, with a smooth texture (yes, chewy and smooth) and big
flavors of black cherry skins and black berry. Notes of aromatic wood and
charred wood float about on the palate. Overall this wine is big and solid, but
not in a ripe or unbalanced way. Later the funk turns into pleasant earth and
forest floor aromas. Nice texture and moderate grip on the finish.
Straightforward and satisfying. 89 Pts
Elegant nose of leather, tobacco,
dried red cherry, dried flowers, and soft perfume notes. The palate has a bit
of softness at first, with pretty fruit, lean black and red cherry that has a
clean and fresh quality about it. The finish is long and rustic, with plenty of
grip, and lingering notes of charred sandalwood, and leather. A serious
approach to Morellino that seems capable of development over time. 90 Pts
Querciarossa, Rinaldone
dell’Osa, 2010
Unusual, compact nose with
interesting outdoorsy aromas, under brush, seashells and a bit of
herbaceousness. The palate shows nice red cherry and raspberry fruit that is
slightly sweet, supported by good acidity. The texture is soft and velvety. The
palate is more pronounced than the nose, which is a bit subdued. On the finish
the tannins show themselves with a satisfying grip. 88 Pts
This one nicely outperforms its
price tag ($16.99). Starting off with rich red and black cherry fruit on the
nose, just after opening, then backing off to an elegant mix of lean black
cherry, asian spice, and light, but definite, rose petals, which persist over
time in the glass. Despite the finesse, there is an impression of solidity
underneath the fruit. The palate starts with a soft mouthfeel at first, and a
subtle sweetness on the tip of the tongue. Next is savory, focused, black
cherry, with aromatic sandalwood, a nice easy bite of acidity, and powderey
tannins. There's good length to the finish as the sandalwood persists, and the
acid causes the mouth to water. Something about this makes me think it is
lacking somewhere, but every step of the experience has distinct character, and
complexity. I guess it's just the gentle touch in its style. Satisfying and
complete. 91 Pts
The dried herb notes are the first
thing you notice on the nose, followed by blackberry, and a firm character. The
palate shows roasted black cherry, sweet acidity, more dried herbs, and a hint
of fat on the mid-palate. With time, distinct sandalwood shows up, and a hint
of anise. The finish is modest, with tartness and spice. Very easy to drink. 89
Pts
Dense dark fruit, but still rustic,
with brambles, aromatic dried cherry skins, and a bit of smoke. The texture is
soft and pleasant, with moderate acidity blending with the lean black cherry
and pronounced aromatic character. Finishes with satisfying grip and length. 90
Pts
Pretty blackberry fruit on the nose
with lovely, fragrant, and spicy dried herbs (sage?), with a dusty character.
The palate continues the same theme with dried black fruit, dried rose petals,
some allspice, good balance, and a fine grained texture. Light to medium
bodied, with a long finish that shows more dried herb notes. 89 Pts
There is a core of dense blackberry
/ black cherry fruit to start on the nose, focused and solid with a suggestion
of dark chocolate. The palate is nice and varied, first showing a silky
texture, with grilled meats, aromatic black cherry pastry, some toast, smoke,
and a hint of cotton candy. Later, there is a sort of candied brambles note
(sweet wood aromatics?), dried blackberry, and some bacon. With all this
opulence, it was surprising to not see heat on the finish. 87 Pts
Fresh red and black cherries on the
nose, with leather, supported by mineral and shale notes. The palate is savory
and satisfying, albeit a little thin, with good baking spice, dried raspberry,
incense, charred meat, and sandalwood. The texture is great and chewy, with
more savories and a medium length finish that reprises the grilled meat notes.
88Pts
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