Wine Tasting at all FOUR locations
Taste 2010 Ruffino Modus at all four of our locations this Saturday,
September 7 from 11am-4pm.
(each store will also have other wines out to taste)
A little more education: We are going to try to feature either a grape or a wine region each week at our stores. We will give you some background information on the grape or region and feature a wine that highlights what we are featuring. We will taste that wine on Saturday at all four of our locations. We will post it here in our blog and send it out in our emails - click here to sign up for our emails
On our blog, click on the label "Education" and you can read all of the education articles (see the right column under the heading "labels".
Wine Education: Super Tuscans
Super Tuscans are an unofficial category of Tuscan wines, not recognized within the Italian wine classification system. The origin of Super Tuscans is rooted in the restrictive DOC practices of the Chianti zone prior to the 1990s. During this time Chianti could be composed of no more than 70% Sangiovese and had to include at least 10% of one of the local white wine grapes. Producers who deviated from these regulations could not use the Chianti name on their wine labels and would be classified as vino da tavola - Italy's lowest wine designation. By the 1970s, the consumer market for Chianti wines was suffering and the wines were widely perceived to be lacking quality (think Chianti in a wicker basket). Many Tuscan wine producers thought they could produce a better quality wine if they were not hindered by the DOC regulations.
The marchese Piero Antinori was one of the first to create a "Chianti-style" wine that ignored the DOC regulations, releasing a 1971 Sangiovese-Cabernet Sauvignon blend known as Tignanello in 1978. Other producers followed suit and soon the prices for these Super Tuscans were consistently beating the prices of some of most well known Chianti. Rather than rely on name recognition of the Chianti region, the Super Tuscan producers sought to create a wine brand that would be recognizable on its own merits by consumers
Today, most super Tuscans use the legal appellation of IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica), which gives producers more flexibility than Chianti and other Tuscan DOCs and more prestige than vino da tavola. The wines tend to be modern, big and rich—and often carry a price tag of $100 or more a bottle, but not all Super Tuscans carry super price tags come taste one of our favorites the 2010 Ruffino Modus this weekend On-Sale for $19.99
Available online also
2010 Ruffino Modus Toscana.....$19.99
VARIETALS: 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot
VINEYARDS: Place of production: Predominantly from the vineyards of the Ruffino’s Estates of Poggio Casciano and Santedame.
Soil: Hilly land with poor, not very profound, somewhat clayey soil, rich in skeleton.
Microclimate: Variable, but with a good day-night temperature swing which, especially during summer, favours an optimal development of the flavors.
Alcohol content: 13.5% vol.Colour: Ruby red with violet hues.
Aroma: The impact is intense, complex and fruity. The bouquet initially delivers the intense notes of mature fruit, such as cherries, plums and small black berries that are typical of Sangiovese. Then it fades into hints of spices, mint, sweet tobacco and refined balsamic notes on the finish. The notes typical of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are perfectly integrated with the Sangiovese.
Tasting profile: At the palate it is full-bodied, harmonious and characterized by the finesse of its silky tannins. The taste is exalted by a remarkable pleasantness and a texture in which each varietal adds its own distinctive trait. The finish is incredibly persistent, with an aftertaste of black berry fruit and cocoa.
VARIETALS: 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot
VINEYARDS: Place of production: Predominantly from the vineyards of the Ruffino’s Estates of Poggio Casciano and Santedame.
Soil: Hilly land with poor, not very profound, somewhat clayey soil, rich in skeleton.
Microclimate: Variable, but with a good day-night temperature swing which, especially during summer, favours an optimal development of the flavors.
Alcohol content: 13.5% vol.Colour: Ruby red with violet hues.
Aroma: The impact is intense, complex and fruity. The bouquet initially delivers the intense notes of mature fruit, such as cherries, plums and small black berries that are typical of Sangiovese. Then it fades into hints of spices, mint, sweet tobacco and refined balsamic notes on the finish. The notes typical of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are perfectly integrated with the Sangiovese.
Tasting profile: At the palate it is full-bodied, harmonious and characterized by the finesse of its silky tannins. The taste is exalted by a remarkable pleasantness and a texture in which each varietal adds its own distinctive trait. The finish is incredibly persistent, with an aftertaste of black berry fruit and cocoa.
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