2017 Sondraia

Marilisa Allegrini is the force behind one of the most dynamic and forward-thinking wineries along the Tuscan Coast. Poggio al Tesoro embraces alternative winemaking techniques such as amphorae and puts special effort into mapping in order to match the best grapes to terrain. Bolgheri is largely made of winemakers who come from other regions (Marilisa Allegrini is from Valpolicella), and these many "outsiders" have brought an exciting wave of innovation to these shores. The 2017 Bolgheri Superiore Sondraia is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc with a relatively contained 15% alcohol content. The wine opens to an inky dark appearance with dried blackberry and plum and plenty of spice and smoke to flesh it out. Like other Bolgheri wines from this vintage, the tannins (both the fruit and the oak tannins, but mostly the fruit) are very powerful and tight. They add a point of stemmy bitterness to the close that makes me enjoy this vintage less than some of the others I have tasted. Some 45,000 bottles were made.