Leone d’Oro, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (Tuscany, Italy) 2018

 The small, medieval Tuscan village of Montepulciano is home to the vines that produced this wine.  Made from Prugnolo Gentile, the local name for Sangiovese, the wine’s name can be traced as far back as 1787 when it was listed in the expense accounts of Giovan Filippo Neri.  Fast forward to 1980, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano became one of the first four regions recognized under the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) classification for quality.  Leone d’Oro’s Vino Nobile is a collaboration between the local co-op of Vecchia Cantina, Votto Vines Importing, and the Order Sons of Italy — a national order for men and women of Italian descent in the U.S.  Leone d’Oro is named after the order’s golden lion symbol.  Vecchia Cantina has consistently produced a number of excellent wines and this one is no exception.  The wine shows red fruit, sweet tobacco, cedar, and a touch of smoke.  Signature to both Sangiovese and Italy, this wine’s acidity is punchy making it an easy option to pair with a wide range of foods.