Rocca di Frassinello, Marema Toscana IGT (Tuscany, Italy) 2009

Tasted alongside the equally impressive “Le Sughere di Frassinello” bottling from Rocca di Frassinello, both wines seem utterly different and utterly surprising based on the disjunction between character and appearance. The “Le Sughere di Frassinello” sports a traditional, even sedate label, yet explodes from the glass with intense fruit and very bold wood notes. By contrast, this “Ornello” looks like the wild one in the family, but comes across as soft, suave and exceptionally smooth…even feminine by contrast. Blended from 40% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 20% Syrah, it shows the ripeness of a warm vintage but is still sufficiently structured to stand up to serious food. Nevertheless, the texture is wonderfully supple, with very deep flavors and remarkably rounded, polished tannins. In a word, gorgeous.