Tasting Report: Some of the Best Tuscan Wines in 2011

One of the brightest spots for Tuscany this year in my blind tastings is Bolgheri and the vineyard area slightly south along the coast near the town of Suvereto. This area made some phenomenal wines that are now coming on to the market and shouldn’t be missed.

Most of you probably already know the region’s top wines that I am talking about for this report, including Masseto, Ornellaia, Sassicaia, Redigaffi, and Guado al Tasso. However, there were some superb wines that are slightly less known, such as the Cabernet Franc-based reds Le Macchiole Paleo and Tenuta di Biserno Lodovico.

The most current vintage to come on the market now is 2008. I am starting to believe that 2008 is the best of the great trilogy for the region – 2006, 2007, and 2008. The wines of the vintage seem to have the best of the prior two. For example, I find many 2008s have the freshness and perfumes of bright 2006s and the richness and density of the 2007. Check out the wines in the report and see.

I can’t say that any grape type did better than the other in 2008, but I really liked a number of Cabernet Francs I tasted. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah did equally as well.

As Sassicaia’s owner Nicolo Incisa della Rocchetta says, “Our region always makes great wines in vintages that end with an 8.” He’s so right…1958, 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998, and now 2008. We will see just how great the vintage is in a five or 10 years as the wines age.

The 2009 vintage looks to be another outstanding year, but it’s a little riper and shows a little less finesse than 2008, according to the few top 2009s I tasted, as well as barrel samples. So focus on the 2008s now.