The Super Tuscan craze has been going on for a while, with wines made from the traditional Sangiovese grape being blended with international varietals. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, certainly Merlot as well as others have thrived in Tuscany. Some of these wines are spectacular. You can find more traditional Bordeaux style blends, various levels of Sangiovese mixed in, and pure Merlots. There are some iconic names here. Think Tignanello, Ornellaia, Sassicaia, Masseto etc. The top names are also not, frequently, very affordable.
Here we’ll review a wine we tried recently, at another great wine tasting held by Gasbarro’s on Federal Hill in Providence RI. It was in a lineup of Italian wines, including some excellent, traditional Chianti we will review soon. This article is about the star of the evening though, a great Super Tuscan from top producer Uccelliera.
Wine: 2012 Uccelliera Rapace
Winery Location: Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy
Tasted By: Neil & Cheri
Date: January, 2018
Tasting Notes: a dark red wine, this is full of rich fruit on the nose. There is also caramel, light oak and other nuances. On the palate this is big and rich. The berry fruit is just delightful. The wood is subtle, the caramel and mocha is complimentary, and the wine is long. It holds its fruit throughout. Still presenting very much like a young wine, and sporting some good tannins, it is quite fresh with good acid. I would guess it is about two to three years shy of really melding seamlessly, and once it does it will be remarkable. Right now it is still pretty special and very drinkable. This is an excellent bottle. The blend is 70% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Price Point – $32 on sale at the tasting. Three bottles somehow found their way home with me.
Would We Buy It? – yes, obviously, since we did. We’ll leave at least one of these in the cellar for two years to see how it all comes together. At this price this is a great value, and clearly belongs on our Value List.
Uccelliera is a very well respected producer in Montalcino, and their Brunellos are always rated highly. This wine is not a traditional Brunello, but is stunning, and worth buying by anyone who loves rich red wine with vibrant berry fruit.
A votre santé!
[…] killer Riesling, dry with balanced acidity, clean fruit and a wonderfully long finish. $22 25. 2012 Uccelliera Rapace – a red, Super-Tuscan blend from Uccelliera, known for world class Brunello, this is a rich […]