Toscana IGT La Quinta, Giodo 2022

A rich red color, the 2022 Sangiovese La Quinta is named for the fifth parcel of the estate and comes from 80-year-old vines that are not authorized for Brunello production. Jeweled in appearance, the wine is perfumed with notes of cherry liqueur, fresh leather, and roses. Medium-bodied, it has lovely purity throughout, with good concentration, an elegant structure, ripeness, a fruit-forward nature, ripe tannins, and a polished feel. It’s a very appealing wine with a warming feel, but it remains fresh and fantastically pure. It will be at its best from 2026-2036.

This wine is a bit of a provocation because, although it could technically qualify as a Rosso di Montalcino, it aims much higher and wears its IGT Toscana appellation very proudly as a result. The Giodo 2022 La Quinta is all Sangiovese from eight-year-old vines planted in front of Carlo Ferrini's stone-clad winery. If anything, Ferrini tells me that his inspiration for this bottle is Chianti Classico more than Montalcino. The wine shows terrific volume (with aging in amphorae and oak) and lots of bright primary fruit with cherry, fresh cranberry, incense and spice. This area withstood the summer heat of 2022 because it is located on the eastern side of the appellation and is surrounded by cooling forests. There is so much pretty fruit in this wine, and you get the freshness of Sangiovese along with elegant, powdery tannins.

(Giodo Toscana La Quinta, Italy) Lively red fruits of strawberries, red cherries, and violets followed by a mix of spices and fresh herbs. Medium-bodied, with fine and sophisticated tannins with delightful acidity. Elegant and artful wine with beautiful purity and complexity. Already fascinating now but it will go further as it ages. Try after 2027.