Tasting Report: Amazing String of Vintages for Tuscany
This report focuses on most of my top-scoring super Tuscans, not including wines that have already been posted on the site. More than 50 tasting notes are below and many superb wines are highlighted.
I have also included some top-scoring wines from established DOCs (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and DOCGs (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita).
It’s hard to think of a better period in the history of Tuscan wines than now. We have four consecutive fantastic vintages on the market: 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. There’s never been such a string of excellent vintages in the modern winemaking history of the region.
I still think that 1997 is the benchmark for Tuscany due to the wonderful density and freshness of the wines made that year, and they have aged wonderfully as well. The 1997s in my cellar in Tuscany are drinking beautifully with complexity and brightness. I expect the top years, such as 1999, 2001, 2004, 2006, and 2007, will deliver the same. I hope you have some of these vintages in your cellar.
As I have written in the past, 2008 looks to be a replay of 1998 for the costal regions of Tuscany, when most people thought 1997 was better, but it was actually 1998. I think that 2008 will prove to be better than both 2007 and 2006 for Bolgheri and the rest of the winemaking areas on the coast.
I have included a list below of my other top-scoring Tuscan wines from my tastings this summer. They have a link to their respective tasting reports on the site. Enjoy the report and give me your thoughts on the wines, vintages, and anything else.
August 04, 2011: Some of the Best Tuscan Wines in 2011
2008 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Toscana Masseto 99
2008 Le Macchiole Toscana Paleo 97
2008 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Toscana 97
2008 Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri-Sassicaia 97
2008 Le Macchiole Toscana Messorio 96
2009 Tua Rita Toscana Redigaffi Tuscany 96
2009 Tua Rita Toscana Syrah Tuscany 95
2008 Tua Rita Toscana Syrah Tuscany 95
2008 Orma Toscana Tuscany 95
2008 Tenuta di Biserno Toscana Lodovico 95
2008 Antinori Bolgheri Gualdo al Tasso Superiore 95
2008 Campo al Mare Bolgheri Superiore Baia al Vento 95
2009 Aia Vecchia Bolgheri Superiore Sorugo 94
2008 Donna Olimpia 1898 Bolgheri 94
2008 Le Macchiole Toscana Scrio 94
2008 Podere Sapaio Bolgheri Superiore Sapaio 94
2008 Tenuta di Biserno Toscana Biserno 94
August 09, 2011: 2008 - Excellent on the Tuscan Coast
2008 Fattoria Le Pupille Maremma Toscana Saffredi 96
2008 Duemani Toscana Cabernet Franc 95
2007 Fattoria Le Pupille Maremma Toscana Saffredi 94
2007 Antinori Toscana Matarocchio 94
2009 Brancaia Maremma Toscana Ilatraia 94
September 01, 2011: Outstanding Quality Cortona Syrahs and Vino Nobile
2008 Tenimenti Luigi d’Alessandro Cortona Migliara 98
2007 Tenimenti Luigi d’Alessandro Cortona Migliara 97
2006 Tenimenti Luigi d’Alessandro Cortona Migliara 96
2008 Tenimenti Luigi d’Alessandro Cortona Il Bosco 95
2007 Il Castagno Syrah Cortona Cuculaia 95
