Aia Vecchia, Toscana Rosso IGT (Tuscany, Italy) 2018

 A delicious blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc that is lush with ripe aromas of black cherry, blackberry, a touch of black currant and vanilla.  In the mouth those ripe black fruits are framed with vivid acidity and fine grained tannins that provide a palate primed for the next bite.  We enjoyed it with a vegetarian lasagna made with spaghetti squash for one meal and grilled flank steak for another.  It provides lots of quality and pleasure for the price.  Aia Vecchia is owned by the Pellegrini family who were originally grape growers in Bolgheri providing grapes for many wineries.  They replanted their vineyards in 1995 and began adding other sites known for high quality Bordeaux grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  They established their winery in 1996 and named it for a villa on one of their estates.  They had enough experience to seek expert advice from agronomist Daniel Schuster who helped them select plants, which they imported from Bordeaux.  They also enlisted the aid of Tibor Gal, who had been the chief winemaker at Ornellaia, one of the early wineries to specialize in Super Tuscan blends.  In 1998 they created their first wine, Lagone. They have a total of 104 acres divided between Bolgheri and Magliano in Toscana.  Both estates grow Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc.  Additionally, they grow Petit Verdot in Bolhgeri and Sangiovese, Vermentino, and Viognier at Magliano in Toscana.