90+ Cellars Reserve Lot 57 Rosso Toscana – A Delicious and Affordable Super Tuscan

80% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from Tuscany, Italy.

SRP of $16 and available for as low as $14. Sample received courtesy Ninety Plus Cellars for review purposes.

From the bottle:

“Story: This ‘Super Tuscan’ is not a muscular Italian guy with a cape. It’s really just a wine made from Tuscany’s native Sangiovese, pumped up with a little Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and then aged for a year in oak. The result, shall we say, is heroic.

Taste: An exotic blend of aromas consisting of black cherry, fig, wood spice, camphor, wild flowers and leather. The wine is medium to full-bodied with a gentle, caressing texture that sooths your palate and calms your soul. Try this wine with herb rubbed grilled steaks, sausage with lentils, or a few slices of aged Piave. Your friends will be jealous, so you better invite them over.

13.5% Alcohol”

Today’s wine is a Toscana or Super Tuscan, which simply means that the wine does not follow the official blending rules of the Tuscan region, but still qualifies for the looser Super Tuscan status. Many producers found the official rules too restrictive, so this new classification was created years ago that allowed them to be a bit more creative with their blends. It also gave them a way to distinguish themselves from the “vino da tavola” or table wine label they would have had to otherwise use. The quality of these wines is generally pretty good, but prices can vary widely…from under $20 like today’s wine to well over $100.

The 2009 Ninety+ Cellars Reserve Lot 57 Rosso Toscana begins with a nice strong aroma of blackberry, black cherry, spice and a great floral component. The wine tastes very good and features some luscious black cherry flavor plus some good spice. The wine has a pleasing silky texture and great firm tannins. The finish is long, dry and delicious. Close your eyes and you might even think you’re in Tuscany.

Also check out our review of another Ninety+ Cellars wine, the Lot 35 Tempranillo Cabernet Sauvignon Crianza.

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

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