The Mazzei family’s Castello di Fonterutoli wine resort, north of Siena
Everything that comes from Tuscany is perceived as more desirable.
‘Even water brand Acqua Panna achieved a boost in sales by starting to showcase the word Toscana on the label,’ observes Stefania Saccardi, head of the region’s agricultural department.
Art, culture and marvellous landscapes contribute to the lofty reputation of the region, but the Toscana brand wouldn’t be as powerful if the region weren’t home to some of Italy’s finest wines.
Tuscany is where the Italian wine renaissance started, thanks to the so-called Super Tuscans, which began grabbing headlines between the late 1970s and early 1980s. Initially labelled as simple Vino da Tavola wines, they were brought into existence as a reaction to outdated or nonexistent regulations.
The pioneers behind these Super Tuscans had a thorough knowledge of French wine – especially Bordeaux – and they introduced techniques such as temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel vessels and barrel ageing.
Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon were the key grapes in the earliest examples, while Merlot gained prominence from the 1990s onwards.
Scroll down for notes and scores for 12 second-wave Super Tuscans to look out…
Source : https://www.decanter.com.master.public.keystone-prod-eks-euw1.futureplc.engineering/premium/super-tuscans-2-0-meet-the-innovators-behind-the-stylish-new-wave-539573/
