What are the Super Tuscan wines?

“Super Tuscan” is a term used to describe red wines from Tuscany that may include non-indigenous grapes, particularly Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. The creation of super Tuscan wines resulted from the frustration winemakers had towards a slow bureaucracy in changing Italy's wine law during the 1970s.

How many Super Tuscan wines are there?

Tuscany has forty-one Denominazioni di origine controllata (DOC) and eleven Denominazioni di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). In the 1970s a new class of wines known in the trade as "Super Tuscans" emerged.

What makes a Tuscan wine a Super Tuscan?

A Super Tuscan is generally a red wine from Tuscany that does not restrain itself to indigenous Italian varieties but embraces international grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to create complex premium single-varietal or blended wines.

Is Super Tuscan a Chianti?

Super Tuscans came about in the early 1970s when winemakers began making wines that did not conform to the rules for appellation wines of the region, such as Chianti DOC.

Is Brunello di Montalcino a Super Tuscan?

Tuscan Wines: an Archipelago of Denominations

The superstars of the reds are Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, Nobile di Montepulciano and Super Tuscans: some of the most famous wines of the world.

The Beginners Guide to SUPER TUSCAN Wines

Is Barolo a Super Tuscan?

For Italy, the must-haves include top Super Tuscans (Sassicaia, Ornellaia) and Barolos (Giacomo Conterno), and the most well-known producers, like Italy's Gaja, which is well known for Barbarescos and Barolos.

Is Gaja Super Tuscan?

Gaja is an Italian wine producer from the Piemonte region in the district of Langhe, chiefly producing a number of Barbaresco and Barolo wines, and later diversified into Brunello and "Super-Tuscan" production.

What is a super Tucson?

Today, most super Tuscans use the IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) designation or the Bolgheri DOC, which was established for red wines using international grape varieties in 1994. The wines tend to be modern, big and rich—and often carry a price tag of $100 or more a bottle.

Is Toscana the same as Super Tuscan?

In 1992, the Italian government introduced a new wine classification: Toscana IGT. Toscana IGT, however, held little romance for critics or consumers, so the term super Tuscan took hold.

Is Caiarossa a Super Tuscan?

Does the World Need Another Super Tuscan? Caiarossa is the new Super Tuscan on the block and the other “aias” should take note. It's not yet in the league of Ornellaia or Sassicaia, but based on my first introduction to this young estate, it could be soon.

Which is better Barolo vs Brunello?

Strong structure is common to both types of wine, but their relationship of tannin and acidity is inverted: Barolo wines tend to have high tannin with acidity that is just a touch lower, while Brunello di Montalcino wines tend to have high acidity with tannin that is slightly lower.

Is Tignanello a Super Tuscan?

Apart from Sassicaia, Tignanello is considered one of the first of the modern Super Tuscan wines. It originated from Antinori's Chianti Classico-region vineyard in 1971 from a proprietary blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

Is Villa Antinori a Super Tuscan?

As the Antinori's recognized how non-native grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Verdot added to Sangiovese raised the level of quality of their wine they started blending more and more and finally could no longer use the DOC designation and so it became a Super Tuscan IGT.

Is Ornellaia Super Tuscan?

Ornellaia is one of Italy's most respected wineries, based in the Tuscan foothills of Bolgheri. Its top wine – simply titled Ornellaia – is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, first produced in 1985. So, it's a Super Tuscan? Yes.

What is the main wine in Tuscany?

Sangiovese. The most widely planted grape in Tuscany is also the main variety in its most classic red wines: Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Brunello di Montalcino. In 2014, 61.4 percent of the vines in Tuscany were Sangiovese. This variety does best in the region's hillside vineyards.

What is the difference between Montepulciano and Montepulciano d Abruzzo?

Montepulciano is both a grape variety and the name of a village. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is the wine produced from the Montepulciano grape when grown in the Abruzzo region. On the other hand, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is produced with Sangiovese grape in the Tuscany region.

What was the first Super Tuscan wine?

But as important as Tignanello was to the rise of the Super Tuscan's… It wasn't the first. That honour belongs to the stunning Sassicaia, which broke all of the rules and set the scene for what would become the most important revolution In Italian wine that we saw in the 20^th century.

What does Super Tuscan pair with?

For Sangiovese-prominent Super Tuscan wines like Tignanello, focus on herby, spicy meats and mushrooms, and tomato-based pasta dishes like lasagna. Pair Sassicaia and other Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines with grilled or roasted meats, such as filet mignon or lamb steak with rosemary.

Is Siepi a Super Tuscan?

This was a very nice wine but to me it suffered in comparison with the 2015 Siepi, a really magnificent Super Tuscan. I rated this wine a 91/92 and I believe that it will improve with further bottle aging.

What Is Bolgheri wine?

Bolgheri is a relatively young yet prestigious Italian appellation located in the Maremma on the Tuscan coast just to the south of Livorno, and named after a town in the north of the region. It is known mainly for deeply coloured, supple yet ageworthy red wines, usually based on the Bordeaux grape varieties.

Is Tignanello a Chianti?

The Tenuta Tignanello estate is in the heart of Chianti Classico, in the gently rolling hillsides between the Greve and Pesa river valleys. It extends over an area of 319 hectares (788 acres), of which about 130 (321 acres) are dedicated to vines.

Which Gaja is the best?

What is Sassicaia wine?

Sassicaia, one of the original Super Tuscan wines, is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. It is known for its supple texture, elegance and perfume.

Which is heavier Brunello or Barolo?

The Differences Between Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino

Barolo is produced solely from the Nebbiolo grape, whereas Brunello is made from 100-percent Sangiovese. The Nebbiolo grapes that go into Barolo produce a lighter-looking wine which is nevertheless full-bodied and high in both tannin and acidity.