~ Inside the Duomo of Siena ~
Tuscan Snips has rapidly become one of the most popular article series on Tuscan Vines. The last two installments have garnered over 10,000 page views alone. You all asked – and so here we go!
Volume 18 begins with a wine that is becoming more and more controversial. Why? Well, maybe it’s all a figment of my own perception but it’s a sense I’ve developed over tasting the last few vintages released. I am curious what you think.
~ Tenuta Tignanello ~
Tenuta Tignanello is arguably one of Tuscany’s best and most important wine estates. Despite encompassing a vast 788 acres of land, less than half of that total are devoted to vines. Three wines are made from estate fruit: Solaia, Tignanello and Marchese Antinori Riserva. The former pair are sourced from two separate vineyards which share the same hillside on the estate. They represent some of the best wine Tuscany has to offer.
The 2022 Antinori Tignanello follows the representative blend of this iconic wine. Yes, I knew it would be young. Yes, maybe it will get better. But I also knew that 2022 was a very hot vintage that produced approachable wines and since I found this at a relatively compelling entry point, I wanted to share it with a friend.
Gorgeous color and at first opening, the wine was a little tight. We played with a few ounces for a little bit but then I decanted the bottle. With truffled burrata and some crusty bread it showed nicely enough. But by the time the conversation flourished and the pasta was ready, it opened rather nicely. Black fruits, toasted spices, hints of coffee grind on the nose move across the palate in similar fashion with a soft pleasing hint of vanilla and moderate tannins. This isn’t up to the level of 2021 or 2019 but it’s still a wonderfully attractive wine. Someone mentioned hearing mermaids singing?
The 2019 is my recent benchmark which I have written about twice. The 2021 was a benefit to my Patreon Members. So why is this controversial and is it only me? Tignanello has always been amazing. But it was always markedly different across vintages. Those differences seem to have been minimized since the 2018 vintage. 2019, 2020 and 2021 were all very, very similar. Similar in intensity, in texture, in complexity, in roundness. Is Tignanello becoming more of a brand than a wine?
Perhaps that’s not a fair question. I eagerly make the distinction between something like this and say, Caymus. The latter which has become no better than Coke or Apothic. Tignanello is not there. But should the sameness be concerning to wine lovers? Has there been an intentional shift in production or is the style of the winemaking team, the vineyard team and the excellence of the vineyard simply that consistent? I’m not sure I know the answer. Do I still love it? Yes. Do I still buy it? Yes, when I find a reasonable price. But my enthusiasm is guarded for the first time in a while. What is your take? 94 points. Find this wine.
~ The 2022 was recently shared with a friend over a casual lunch featuring bread, olive oil, cheese and a humble bowl of Amatriciana ~
I am working on a Feature Article to update the recent releases of Tenuta Vallocaia – a wonderful family property in Montepulciano. In a past version of Tuscan Snips, I discussed their Sauvignon Blanc wine, Gemella. In this article, I’m discussing their newest bianco, Luna.
Tenuta Vallocaia was established in 1983 when Rudi Bindella discovered the property on a trip through Montepulciano. In 1986, a contemporary winery was built on sight and the adjacent olive groves and woodlands were purchased by the family. The first commercial harvest released by the family was the stunning 1985 vintage and immediately the Bindella’s were on the map.
The 2024 Tenuta Vallocaia Luna a Vallocaia is the inaugural release of this wine. I am the first US based wine writer to review this wine and I thank my friends, the Bindella’s for the opportunity. Luna is a blend of 70% Grechetto and 30% Trebbiano that is produced entirely in steel. Crisp, nearly pristine in the mouth – with aromas of white peaches, limestone, green olives and white flowers that merge onto the palate in harmony. Juicy and fresh, this is medium bodied and tinged with a ripe, fruity finish. I am very impressed. 92 points. Available directly from the winery.
~ An IGT blend of Grechetto and Trebbiano, Luna takes the blend to new heights. Tuscany is re-discovering Trebbiano in various forms and you would do well to pay attention ~
In true Tuscan, indeed Italian fashion, we never have wine without food at Tuscan Vines. The below antipasto was a truffled burrata adorned with fresh black truffle conserved in extra virgin olive oil. This was the foil for several of the wines in this article over the Thanksgiving holiday. I think it worked incredibly well across the range and was decadently satisfying.
When I first discovered the wines from Campochiarenti, I went looking around for other producers that were just as good. I happened to be talking with Silvia Vannucci at the time and she suggested I check out Santachiara. She was right!
The 2024 Il Colombaio di Santachiara Vernaccia di San Gimignano “Selvabianca” is the most representative of the estate. Vineyards sit approximately 360 meters above sea level and are densely planted. The wine is vinified in a combination of cement and stainless steel but is left on the lees until bottling. On the nose, it is reminiscent of green apple, lemon, flinty minerals and lemon grass. In the mouth, the salinity, minerality and sapidity mark this wine. It is powdery in texture with citrus notes and a slightly bitter almond skin note coming through. I like it, but it’s not supplanting my favorite. 89 points. Find this wine.
~ This was a wonderful example of Vernaccia ~
I’ve been a fan of the wine from Querciavalle for a long time. The Losi family have a rich history in Castelnuovo Berardenga. What started as humble sharecropping grew into a friendship with Tancredi Biondi Santi and the culmination of today’s family estate near Vagliagli.
~ Ancient bottles in the Losi Family Reserves ~
The 2016 Querciavalle Chianti Classico Riserva is amazing. During the 2023 Rustic Tuscany Tour, I first tasted this wine before it was released. I knew then that I would be buying some. Why? Because at the risk of seeming cliche, this wine has it all. Ripe fruit, tactile typicity, tertiary complexity and tremendous value. It’s hard to beat – especially in an age where many Riserva have been dragged higher by Gran Selezione.
This is dark ruby in the glass with violet reflections and trends toward garnet. On the nose, you appreciate right away where this wine is from and how great it’s going to be. Aromatically perfumed with flowers and crushed cherry. But you sense the aroma of Chianti Classico dust. This isn’t from Montalcino and you can tell. On the palate, the brown, dusty tannins are pervasive but well integrated. The cherry fruit is punctuated by tobacco, toasted spices and ripe fennel notes. There’s sweet herb and new leather too. Available directly from the winery – my Rustic Tuscany guests have long enjoyed this property. 94 points. About $24.
~ The 2016 is predominantly Sangiovese with small amounts of Canaiolo ~
When my wife and I were on our honeymoon in 2014, we made arrangements for a couple of winery visits; mainly to visit friends – not so much to taste. These were bygone days for Il Palazzone, when Marco and Laura Gray were still helming the property under the late owner, Richard Parsons. After a tour and casual tasting, the four of us went out for lunch and Marco brought along a 2010 Riserva that was not yet bottled/released. The elevation with every aspect of that wine was mind blowing. I was hooked. When the 2015 Riserva was released, I didn’t hesitate.
The 2015 Il Palazzone Brunello Riserva is a stupendous Brunello and one of the best wines I’ve tasted in 2025. It may also be the best wine I’ve tasted from the Estate. In the glass, it a deep, dark ruby with only a hint of lightening at the edge of the bowl. Upon opening, I tasted the wine and “Wow” – it was incredibly special. No need to decant!
On the nose, the aromas penetrated the room at once. Dried flowers, fresh porcini, wild cherry, sweet pipe tobacco and herb were nothing short of miraculous. In the mouth, the wine is full bodied but round. Luscious, with no hard edges. The core of fruit is ripe, juicy, fresh and lively. It’s a mouthwatering Sangiovese. Flinty mineral, pipe tobacco and lovely toasted baking spices frame this powerful but elegant wine. The finish is long and sweet and ripe and mouthwatering. My only complaint is that I didn’t buy more. I have 1 bottle left and I can’t see this living past the holidays. 98 points. The Riserva is normally available from the winery if you are on their mailing list. Production is very limited, so what gets exported to the US typically does not move beyond the east coast.
~ The is the best wine I’ve ever tasted from Il Palazzone ~
That is another Tuscan Snips in the books. Some of these wines are utterly amazing. They reinforce the notion of why I got into this some 3 decades ago. Wine transcends. It’s a place. A discussion. A history lesson. There is nothing else like it in the world.
Salute!
