Boscarelli, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Tuscany, Italy) 2010

Though a DOCG, Italy’s highest level of wine, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is often overlooked.  Other Tuscan wines, such as Chianti Claissico or Brunello di Montalcino seem to bask in the limelight.  Boscarelli, a stellar producer in Montepulciano, is trying to change that perception with their consistently stellar wines.  Their 2010, with lovely austerity and penetrating minerality, is easy to recommend for current drinking, though my experience with their wines tells me that the 2010 will evolve beautifully over a decade.  Not a stand alone, aperitif-type drink, this wine’s firm fruitiness is made for a hearty pasta dish or seared lamb chops.  Its beauty expands on the palate and its bracing acidity keeps you coming back for more.