The Human Touch in Tuscany, and Mendoza Deepens its Legacy

Tastings along the Tuscan Coast this year have been dominated by two areas that have proven more than others their ability to deliver character and identity: Bolgheri and Suvereto, which share the top positions in our latest report.

The Super Tuscan model is no longer the force it was a decade ago, and for this broad family of wines, finding a distinct personality has become essential. In recent vintages, two factors have stood out. The first, inevitably, is terroir. Bolgheri has shown that the best results come from vineyards above the famed Via Bolgherese, on hillside sites rather than the flatter sandy plains, even if cabernet sauvignon traditionally favors sand. Suvereto, by contrast, sits on the flat sandy cone stretching inland from the coast opposite Elba. Its most celebrated vineyards lie around Montepeloso, where a touch of limestone gives the wines a surprising elegance.

The second and perhaps most decisive factor is human. The 2022 vintage was famously dry across Tuscany, with no rain from spring through mid-August. Late-ripening grapes, however, were rescued by two key rainfalls in late August and early September. Vineyard management and harvest timing were crucial, as were lighter, more restrained extractions. The result: refined, approachable wines that may sacrifice some longevity, but do we really need it in such years? Have fun with them now!

Attention is already turning to 2023. Heavy spring rains tested growers, but those who read the season early responded well. The result: wines of striking balance, freshness and, where downy mildew was managed, excellent tannins. “A very balanced vintage,” said Stefano Frascolla of Tua Rita, adding that scattered rains throughout the summer relieved cabernet and sangiovese from water stress and preserved acidity.

His Tua Rita Toscana Redigaffi 2023 proved to be one of the finest wines among our Tuscan tastings: precise, with subtle notes of black olive, bramble berry, sandalwood and iodine. Medium- to full-bodied, its tannins stretch seamlessly across the palate with focus and finesse. Frascolla’s son, Giovanni, noted a stylistic shift toward infusion and away from pumping-over in the cellar.

Equally striking is the Michele Satta Bolgheri Superiore Piastraia 2023, the first in the estate’s history to drop sangiovese in favor of cabernet franc. A restrained wine, with eucalyptus leaf, mint, cedar and Mediterranean herbs, it shows velvety tannins and freshness – the traditional Bolgheri signature. It won’t be released until 2026, however.

Among current releases, the Argentiera Bolgheri Superiore 2022 stands out for its elegance: delicate butter and milk chocolate notes over cassis, cherries, violets and clove, with the fragrance of merlot and a sweet tobacco finish.

From Suvereto again, the Montepeloso Toscana Nardo 2023 (85 percent sangiovese, 15 percent cabernet sauvignon) is juicy and fruit-driven, while Bolgheri delivers solid entries in the Caccia al Piano 2022 and Camarcanda 2022, though the latter falls short of expectations. On the Pisan coast, the I Giusti & Zanza Toscana Vigna Vecchia 2022 shines as the province’s most convincing wine.

Mendoza Deepens its Legacy

Mendoza has always been the epicenter of Argentine winemaking. Within its boundaries there is already a mind-blowing diversity of sites, wine styles and varieties, all rooted in a deep, historical tradition. Yet the country’s dynamic wine scene is constantly evolving: new terroirs are being explored while long-established regions like Cafayate or the Calingasta Valley continue to deepen their legacy. 

Francisco Puga y Familia is the personal project of Francisco “Paco” Puga, who farms and vinifies parcels across the Calchaqui Valleys. Puga, who is also the head winemaker at El Porvenir de Cafayate and an essential figure in the region’s contemporary identity, crafts wines that express the extremes of altitude and place. His Malbec Altos Valles Calchaquíes Las Carreras Molinos 2022, grown at 2,590 meters on granitic soils, is a powerful wine that channels the intensity of mountain light and extreme elevation. Structured yet precise, with focused tannins and linear acidity, it is an energetic, high-altitude expression. 

From San Juan’s Calingasta Valley, one of the most impressive wines tasted was the Bodega Los Dragones Valle de Calingasta El Pedrazal 2022, a grenache from a young vineyard planted at around 1,650 meters. Pale in color and stylistically reminiscent of Gredos, which co-owner and winemaker Andres Biscaique cites as a reference, this delicate expression is aged in a combination of concrete eggs and 500-liter neutral French oak. The result is purity and transparency in a refined mountain grenache. 

Another standout Senior Editor Jacobo García-Andrade tasted was the Sophenia Malbec Gualtallary Valle de Uco Ello 2021, a singular expression from one of Argentina’s most celebrated subregions, Gualtallary. Fermented in amphora and aged 12 months in used French oak, it captures Gualtallary’s hallmark underbrush and herbal character, layered with vibrant blue-fruited malbec purity that is also particular to this part of Valle de Uco. 

Meanwhile, the consistently brilliant El Enemigo Cabernet Franc Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard El Cepillo 2022 is, year after year, one of the finest expressions of cabernet franc in Argentina, and a singular benchmark in a global context. From one of the coolest sites in the Valle de Uco, El Cepillo delivers an angular, distinctive expression full of personality.

Oregon's Rhone Voice

Standing in the vegetable garden at the center of Troon Vineyard on a recent warm day in Southern Oregon's Applegate Valley, Staff Writer & Taster Courtney Humiston, in attempting to identify the mountain ranges that forms this valley, discovered that she was, in fact, surrounded by mountains on all sides; peaks and valleys with tall Jeffrey pines, wild manzanita and oak trees.

Troon winemaker Nate Hall, who spent a decade making wine in Oregon's renowned Willamette Valley before coming here, explained that the Siskyou mountains were formed by tectonic activity that created a "crumpling" effect rather than a typical range of mountains.

Because of this unique geography, the region has experimented with many different varieties over the years. On her recent visit, Courtney found that Rhone varieties, in particular, are establishing a unique voice.

Three wineries, Troon, Cowhorn and Quady North, in particular, stood out for the quality of their wines and their commitment to achieving balance in the vineyards through organic and biodynamic practices.

"Rhone varieties are especially well suited for this place," said Vince Vidrine, the winemaker at Cowhorn. "I'm a field-oriented person and we have learned that viognier and syrah ripen perfectly here. You know they are going to come in with the phenolics fully resolved and with a unique sense of place."

"What is so interesting," he continued, "is that instead of coastal air coming in from corridors, we have cold air coming down the mountains and from the Applegate River,” which runs the length of the valley. “It fills up our little valley every evening, leading to a full expression of acidity."

The Cowhorn Viognier Applegate Valley 2023 is a lovely and mineral-driven expression with delicate pear and honeysuckle aromas and crisp refreshing acidity.

Working naturally, Troon, which is Demeter-certified biodynamic in both the vineyards and the winery, is crafting wines that are fresh, soulful and incredibly drinkable. The Troon Vineyard Roussanne Applegate Valley 2023, which is fermented in a concrete egg, is a thirst-quenching wine with delicate aromas of fresh herbs and basil flowers, a mineral texture and a zesty finish.

Herb Quady founded Quady North in 2006 with the goal of examining single-vineyard expressions of Rhone varieties. The Quady North Syrah Applegate Valley Layne Vineyard 2022 comes from 45-year-old own-rooted vines planted in deep alluvial soils. The wine is rich and concentrated but still very fresh, with flavors of crushed blackberries and raspberries, vanilla bean and fine, mocha-like tannin.

– Aldo Fiordelli, Jacobo García Andrade and Courtney Humiston contributed reporting.

The list of wines below is comprised of bottles tasted and rated during the past week by the JamesSuckling.com tasting team. They include many latest releases not yet available on the market, but which will be available soon. Some will be included in upcoming tasting reports.

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