Winemaker Notes
Disenchanted with Italian winemaking laws in the 1970s, a few rebellious Tuscan winemakers decided to get creative. Instead of following tradition, to bottle Sangiovese by itself, they started blending it with international varieties, namely Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah in differing proportions and with amazing success. However, some Tuscan Blends don’t even include Sangiovese. Somm Secret—The suffix –aia in Italian modifies a word in much the same way –y acts in English. For example, a place with many stones (sassi) becomes Sassicaia. While not all Super Tuscan producer names end in –aia, they all share a certain coy nomenclature.
Legend has it that the region’s prized red grape, Sangiovese, took its name locally from the rusty, red “Morelli” horses that used to carriage high officials to and from the village of Scansano in the 1700s. Today the region’s most valuable wine, known as Morellino di Scansano, is of a similar blend as Chianti with a minimum of 85% Morellino (Sangiovese) and 15% other local varieties. But Scansano’s hilly, coastal location gives a full-bodied, and more fruit forward and less acid-driven red compared to its inland neighbor.