This blind tasting of 12 Super-Tuscan wines from the 2021 vintage was hosted in London by UK importer Maisons Marques & Domaines with the objective “to position Prima Pietra Permassimo within this elite group.”
MMD drew wine from Chianti and Montalcino, as well as from Maremma and Bolgheri in coastal Tuscany. Tenuta Prima Pietra is situated in the area north of Bolgheri located around the town of Riparbella, from which wines may be classified Montescudaio DOC or IGT Toscana Rosso. The estate lies on a hill a few kilometers from the coast, with south-southwest-facing vineyard slopes. Permassimo IGT Toscana Rosso is made from Cabernet Franc. MMD’s literature claims, “Prima Pietra’s 450m [1,500ft] crest is exceptional, yielding fresher acid lines and finer tannin grain in Bordeaux varieties than many low-lying peers.” It offers “a high-altitude counterpoint to both Bolgheri opulence and inland Sangiovese classicism.”
The assembled tasters were presented the wines to taste blind and asked to consider regionality, style, and standout wines. Because I was traveling home from Italy at the time of the event, I received 10cl samples decanted from full bottles. Arriving late that same night, I put the samples outside in cool but not fridge-cold conditions (which I find can shock samples of red wine), and I tasted—also blind—early next morning, about 22 hours after the bottles had been opened. Nothing was tired, though I question whether the Solaia was correct. On the contrary, many were still very compact in the morning and evolved beneficially for my second tasting later in the day, when the wine in the half-empty mini-bottles had more air and time to breathe. None had deteriorated.
My tasting notes and scores are recorded below. I had three front-runners—later revealed to be Cepparello and Sassicaia, which stood out for their elegance, and Luce, in a more forward and opulent style. Leading my midfield were Flaccianello and Vigna del Sorbo, which I liked because they felt more restrained within this context. Putting personal preference aside (which reflects my Burgundy background), of similar quality in the middle band were the richer cohort of Tignanello, Siepi, Biscero, and the ostentatious Redigaffi. Bringing up the rear were Guado al Tasso, Permassimo, and Solaia.
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The blind tasting at MMD was followed by a discussion. Brand manager Jamie Patterson from MMD, who organized the event, said, “The blind tasting highlighted the differences between the wines. It was impossible to pigeonhole a style. It was more a story of grape variety than a regional one. The wines were felt to be more winemaker- than terroir-led.”
The group tasters apparently felt that Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were flashier and showed well as young wines. “These were the most popular wines,” reports Patterson. “Those based on Sangiovese were less well received […] felt to be reserved, needing more time.” With the exception of Sassicaia, I gravitated toward the Sangiovese-led wines, but my samples would have absorbed some oxygen when they were decanted into smaller bottles and had some hours to open up, from which they benefited.
Fellow MW Richard Bampfield attended the tasting. His impressions seemed to confirm Patterson’s comments. “Initially, I generally found the wines with a higher proportion of Bordeaux varieties in the mix easier to assess and appreciate,” he said. “It was only on returning to some of the Sangiovese-based wines that I really appreciated their quality.”
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Ultimately, it was decided not to rank the wines, so no scores or show of hands were recorded at the MMD tasting, but Patterson reports that Biserno seemed to have the best reception across the board. He adds, however, “Opinions on all the wines were mixed. Some loved Biserno; others felt it was too green and flashy.”
Richard Bampfield helpfully told me his favorites. “In order: Biserno, Siepi, Tignanello, and Vigna del Sorbo.” In Biserno, he liked “the typical Cabernet Franc fragrance, purity of fruit, overall balance, and length—for me, the classiest wine in the lineup. But that undoubtedly betrays my Bordeaux roots! I have always liked Vigna del Sorbo, without doubt one of the best Chiantis.”
Two wines—my frontrunners—dramatically divided the room, with strongly opposing opinions. Patterson recalls that many tasters didn’t like Sassicaia, finding it “out of balance,” while its advocates argued it just needed time. “Cepparello was felt to be too light,” Richard Bampfield recalls. “Cepparello was one of the wines I found difficult initially, but it definitely improved with air. Sassicaia, I normally rate highly, but it seemed rather light and simple, showing noticeably high acid on the day.”
It was Solaia that received my lowest score. It felt hollow, with a dry, short finish, and I would have liked to try another bottle. Richard Bampfield had a very similar impression. “I just found this big, rather hollow, and lacking finesse.” Patterson also scored it lowest—“lacking in texture and substance”—but recalls that “lots of people really liked it and found it very fruity.”
If I had been asked to consider regionality, I would have given it a shot but suspect I would have simply followed Sangiovese to Chianti and Bordeaux varieties to the coast. The difficulty in pinpointing regional identity—even for an area as small as Bolgheri, quite apart from identifying different sections of coastal Tuscany—was illustrated by the two dramatically different wines—Guado al Tasso and Sassicaia.
But isn’t that what one might hope for? Guado al Tasso shows the typical style of Bolgheri from the flat on alluvial sandy loams, while Sassicaia’s trademark freshness and slimmer style reflect the inclusion of higher-situated vineyards with those on the soprastrada; a refined and lighter profile that other producers with vineyards in the hills are now pursuing. So, Guido al Tasso and Sassicaia clearly express site-specific identity within Bolgheri, which is reflected in Sassicaia’s unique DOC granted in 2013—but one cannot ignore the influence of grape variety and winemaking approach.
For some wines in this tasting, this is all I could identify. Tua Rita Redigaffi from Maremma speaks to me of Merlot, extraction, and new oak. I also struggled to see beyond the new oak for Permassimo. It’s not surprising that the MMD tasters found the Super-Tuscan profile more reflective of variety and winemaking. It’s worth considering that producers from Chianti, and to a lesser extent Bolgheri and Montalcino, may produce both IGT in a more Super-Tuscan style (playing with unsanctioned grape varieties and new oak barriques) alongside their terroir-driven DOC/G portfolio.
Rethinking the Super-Tuscans
When the distinction is clear, I tend to gravitate toward the latter—but not always. I preferred Fontodi’s straight, edgy, and austere 2019 Terrazze San Leoline Chianti Classico Gran Selezione—a lovely example from alberese soil—to its 2019 Flaccianello della Pieve IGT—which in comparison is a fuller, firmer, and more savory wine from a selection of the best bunches from vines on largely Pietra Forte soils. But Flaccianello expresses the typicity of the Pietra Forte soils of Panzano, where the terroir speaks but lends itself to the Super-Tuscan profile. In the company of Super-Tuscans from 2021, Flaccianello seems positively elegant, even taking vintage variation into account. Many wines dubbed Super-Tuscan are truly terroir-reflective and fit naturally within their denomination, even when they are excluded from it.
“The Tuscan paradox was that some of the best wines were at the bottom,” remarks Fontodi owner Giovanni Manetti, whom I visited in 2023, tasting the wines just mentioned. I was on a trip for WFW to Chianti Classico to get to grips with the newly minted UGAs and the Gran Selezione rules, which permit wine to be 100% Sangiovese. I contacted Manetti to ask why he hasn’t changed Flaccianello from IGT to Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. “At Fontodi, we are discussing in the family a change of Flaccianello from IGT to Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. I’m ready, but my children are not yet fully convinced.”
In 2023, I also visited Isole e Olena, where Paolo de Marchi was so instrumental in pushing forward the quality and reputation of Chianti Classico from the 1970s. De Marchi would have liked to see all IGTs included in Gran Selezione, whereas those with international varieties are still excluded. He felt it was a missed opportunity.
This tasting got me thinking again about the whole Super-Tuscan category. I realize that for me it’s more about a wine profile than a sense of place: smart, polished wines in an international style, high in quality but somehow anonymous. In this tasting, only Tignanello and Luce really hit this swanky spot, with Biserno just wide of mark. The more overtly rich, concentrated, and oaky wines don’t have the finesse to align with my image of a Super-Tuscan. While others, notably Cepparello, Sassicaia, Flaccianello, and Vigna del Sorbo certainly show oak—all of the wines tasted saw some new barriques—they felt like terroir-driven wines. If the Super-Tuscan category has become more or less synonymous with style, then everyone will have their own interpretation.
Let’s backtrack a moment to consider the origin of “Super-Tuscan”—the term coined by wine critics in the ’80s for high-quality wines that, falling outside denomination regulations, were labeled as table wines but later given a place at the table as IGTs. “We made a revolution,” remarks Giovanni Manetti—and I will let him explain in more detail…
“It is a strange category, originating in the Chianti Classico territory, with the only exception being Sassicaia from Bolgheri. At the end of the ’70s, there was a deep crisis in the wine industry of Chianti Classico due to mandatory blending of Sangiovese with white grapes (minimum 15%) and also much higher yields. A bunch of producers like Antinori, Montevertine, Isole e Olena, and Fontodi decided to create a new wine made by selecting the best grapes from their best vineyards using Sangiovese—either 100% or blended with Cabernet. Those wines were immediately successful and showed the potential of the Chianti Classico territory for making high-quality wines. This movement played an important role in changing the rules of the Chianti Classico appellation. In fact, in 1984 the consorzio, when introducing the DOCG, decreased the percentage of white grapes in the Chianti Classico blend from 15% to 2%, and the maximum yield from 11 tons to 7.5 tons per hectare. It was a real turning point.”
Tenuta San Guido’s Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta also refers to the “mix of rebellion and creativity that marked an important shift in Italian wine.” General manager Carlo Paoli picks up this thread from the commercial perspective. “It opened a new path for Tuscan wine by showing that excellence could emerge outside of traditional schemes. It also contributed to a fundamental shift in perception: For the first time, Tuscan wines were positioned, intentionally, at a higher price level, signaling quality and ambition. This helped trigger a broader process of premiumization that many other wines and appellations in Tuscany, and maybe in Italy, later embraced.”
Clearly the category has historical significance. But how relevant is it today, when the quality of Tuscany’s best wines is globally acknowledged and the original Super-Tuscans have commanded super-high prices for decades? And now that Chianti producers using 100% Sangiovese can label their IGT as Gran Selezione—and Bolgheri and Sassicaia have their own DOCs—do they still consider their wines to be Super-Tuscans? Does the category diminish the importance of terroir?
Priscilla responds thus: “Historically, Sassicaia was often grouped under the Super-Tuscan umbrella because, for many years, it sat outside the DOC system. But Sassicaia followed a different path, with a different origin story. Mario [Incisa della Rocchetta] did not simply create a new wine—he revealed the identity of a territory that had not yet been recognized as a fine-wine area. In a sense, he ‘invented’ a wine region before a wine category. For this reason, we tend to see Sassicaia more as an inspiration rather than as a classic Super-Tuscan. Today, we feel fully represented by the DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia and prefer to think of Sassicaia first and foremost through the lens of its own denomination and territory rather than the Super-Tuscan label.”
Carlo Paoli adds to the argument for terroir: “In the case of Sassicaia, the existence of its own appellation and the choice to keep Cabernet Sauvignon as the dominant grape in the blend clearly demonstrate the land’s natural suitability for this variety.” He continues, adding to this observation for the category more generally, “The wines once grouped under the Super-Tuscan umbrella are recognized for their individual identities, each expressing the character of its specific terroir. Their relevance now lies in that distinctiveness, not in the category itself.”
“They are absolutely terroir-driven wines that could only be made from some specific vineyards located in specific territories,” remarks Manetti. But unlike Sassicaia, he hangs onto the Super-Tuscan category. “Yes, I consider Flaccianello a Super-Tuscan.”
But what of those making wine outside denomination regulations? Tenuta Luce in Montalcino produces the polished IGT Luce della Vite—designed by Frescobaldi and Mondavi in the early 1990s as a new-style Tuscan wine that feels notably Bordelais in both philosophy and style—alongside its finely wrought Luce Brunello di Montalcino—a project “to pay tribute to the region,” which was introduced later in 2003. Winemaker Alesssandro Marini sent me both ’21s to taste and discuss via Zoom (notes below).
Marini is a young chap, so unlike Manetti and Carlo Paoli, his experience does not stretch back to the Super-Tuscan revolution. He seems undecided whether Luce della Vite is actually a Super-Tuscan. But he does feel that the Super-Tuscan style that “became homogenous—driven by extraction and heavy oak”—has changed and that producers now understand the wine has to speak more of place than vinification. “This is key to differentiate your wine. We are now more oriented on the terroir and much more gentle in the winery than in the past.” But Luce is aged in barriques, 80% of which are new. “The barrels support the wine. We need the new oak to smooth the tannins and for the evolution [from the micro-oxygenation]. The barrels create the balance and the creaminess, but I don’t think that Luce is less terroir-driven than Brunello.”
On his travels to export markets, Marini finds consumers are not so interested in the Super-Tuscan category. “We are known for Luce,” so together with other historic brands, it has a following—“but consumers are really looking for Brunello di Montalcino now.”
In the context of so many fine Tuscan wines being produced today—from IGT, to DOCG—the Super-Tuscan term is perhaps outdated, and I now wonder whether it makes much sense for a new producer, intent on making wine to express terroir, to identify their wine with this category.
At Tenuta di Biserno in the Maremma, Niccolò Marzichi Lenzi seems to agree: “Super-Tuscan is perhaps less a technical definition and more a cultural one. Going forward, the focus will increasingly be on where a wine comes from and what makes that place unique, rather than on the category itself.” A relative newcomer, Biserno was first produced in 2007.
And where the denomination allows, it may be preferable to produce within the fold. “In my territory, if somebody would like to make a super wine based on Sangiovese now, they have the better opportunity to call it Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, especially after the introduction of the UGA,” observes Manetti. Indeed, Manetti believes the category should be reserved for the historical Super-Tuscans, and I tend to agree with him.
A word on the 2021 vintage, which is pleasing for those of us who favor a more energetic, fresher, sometimes herbaceous style, with lighter texture. I felt the wines from Chianti were generally more reflective of the vintage, where they are Sangiovese-led, while the Bordeaux-dominant wines show more extraction and weight, with the exception of Sassicaia. The wines in this tasting still need two to three years to establish themselves, and a further three to four years to show some evolution in combination with fruit. There is the potential to age them for a further 12 to 15 years—longer for some wines, if you like them fully mature.
Tasting
2021 Guado al Tasso Bolgheri DOC Superiore
(Bolgheri; Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Petit Verdot)
Rich black fruit, blackcurrants and cherries, oaky aroma. Succulent attack. The full-bodied, chocolaty palate has plentiful, grippy, and robust tannins. There is matter mid-palate, but without much nuance. Generous and juicy, with a sweet but only modestly well-sustained finish. This is not as fresh or as refined as many in this tasting. 2028–40. | 91–92
2021 Tignanello IGT Toscana
(Chianti; Sangiovese-dominant, with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc)
Expressive, spicy aroma, with sandalwood and bitter orange. Attractive on the nose. Maybe too much new oak on the palate, but it does contribute tannic freshness. Deep, compact, and punchy, this is a smooth operator, with velvety, cloaking tannins and a supple, lustrous, and adequately sustained finish. All is nicely in balance, and there’s no denying it’s smart—but it seems rather soulless. 2027–40+. | 93
2021 Mazzei Siepi IGT Toscana
(Chianti; 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Merlot)
Bold, richly fruity, and oaky. Quite an enticing aroma, with black chocolate and coffee. Jumps energetically on the palate; splashing fruit, super-juicy, hints of sweet, dried cranberries. Rather piquant freshness. Firm and fine-grained tannins. This has some layering. It is neatly woven and pushes quite well on the finish. In the context of this tasting, a good but not very persistent finish, and for that reason the score is not higher for this engaging wine. 2027–40. | 93
2021 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve IGT Toscana
(Chianti; 100% Sangiovese; one year in French barriques, one third new, and one year in cask)
Intriguing aroma, slightly stemmy. Hints of tomato leaf combine with toasted warm spices; ground coriander comes to mind. A medium-bodied, slim, and straight palate, with a fine texture. Some tension, sapidity, and elegance. It has red-fruit charm, delicacy, and energy, and is rather shimmery to finish. I like the more refined style among the wines in this tasting. To 2038. | 95
2021 Tenuta Prima Pietra Permassimo IGT Toscana
(Riparbella; 100% Cabernet Franc; 100% new oak barriques for two years)
Rather too much cloying oak on the aroma and on the palate. So chewy, it’s a little hard to see the wine for the wood. There is an abundance of sweet black fruit, dense and rich, and the length is quite decent. But it seems to be trying too hard, and the result seems one-dimensional at this early stage. Not a style that appeals to me, but that is clearly a personal preference. It is unfortunate, in the circumstances, that this was revealed to be Permassimo. Richard Bampfield MW describes it as “structured, with firm tannins,” adding, “It rather confirmed my general view that Cabernet Franc is better in a blend than on its own.” But other tasters liked it much more than we did. Another fellow MW had it as her second-favorite wine of the tasting. 2028–36. | 91–92
2021 Isole e Olena Cepparello IGT Toscana
(Chianti; 100% Sangiovese)
Pleasantly oaky aroma, with vanilla and cigar box. An elegant sweep onto the palate; neat, direct, intense, and layered. Maybe a touch too much oak mid-palate, where cedar notes blend with a touch of oregano, but I do like the brightness and the tarragon-fresh, spicy well-sustained finish. Intense and dynamic. 2027–38. | 96
2021 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC
(Bolgheri Sassicaia; Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Cabernet Franc; 40% new oak)
A different register on the nose—yes, there’s new oak but also something higher-toned, ginger and thyme. Slides onto the palate on a ribbon of ripe blackcurrant fruit and ripples, sleek and shining. Precise edges to the palate. Intense and floral, this stretches into a beautifully sustained, fluid finish, which carries a herbal echo. This is classy, refined wine. If you decanted this, you could drink it now; it has harmony and equilibrium. 2027–40+. | 97
2021 Tenuta Luce Luce della Vite IGT Toscana
(Montalcino; 50% Sangiovese from schist and 50% Merlot from heavy clay; aged in barrel, 80% new)
A rich and intense cassis aroma. This flows into a straight, well-honed palate, with depth and energy and notable vibrancy. Plentiful smart oak. A trim, refined, and glossy Bordeaux-style wine, with intense, dark-berry fruit, and a rather well-sustained finish. Accomplished. 2028–40. | 96
The IGT’s swanky Bordeaux profile is sharply apparent in comparison with the 2021 Luce Brunello di Montalcino. With herbal aromatics, a slim, straight, and slicing palate, and finely textured tannin, Luce Brunello feels nakedly exposed to the terroir (97). It comes from a 5.5ha (14-acre) parcel on schist, Madonnino, surrounded by forest at 420m (1,400ft). Aged for three years in older botti, which become increasingly large and protective over three years. Previously the Brunello “was aged in second- and third-fill barriques, with 10% new, but we changed our focus in 2016 to a more precise expression of terroir,” remarks winemaker Alessandro Marini. The IGT is undeniably good, but the Brunello is better.
2021 Tua Rita Redigaffi IGT Toscana
(Maremma; 100% Merlot)
Pastille-sweet and jammy aroma. Thick, velvety texture. Full and chocolaty palate, which is laden with new oak. Rich, sumptuous, and supple. This luscious, creamy wine is a real show-off but could demonstrate a bit more on the rich finish after all the palaver on the palate. It needs time to calm down and slim down—it seems pretty alcoholic—and maybe then it might become more appealing. 2028–40. | 93
2021 Tenuta di Biserno Biserno IGT Toscana
(Bibbona Maremma; Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot)
Another showy wine from Antinori, with a sweet, blackcurrant-cordial aroma and spicy oak. This is dense and rich. No lack of supple tannin enveloping the palate with satin richness. There is matter, and it’s well balanced with sufficient freshness. This improves in the second tasting. The finish is cassis-sweet and a touch longer than the previous wine (revealed as Redigaffi). 2028–40. | 94
2021 Antinori Solaia IGT Toscana
(Chianti; Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller proportions of Cabernet Franc and Sangiovese)
A notably dark color and slightly Porty aroma. A touch volatile? A deluge of oak and spices on the palate; rather stewy and uncouth. Somehow hollow. I wonder about the acid on the palate. Very dry and short to finish. I would ask for another sample, were that possible. NS
2021 Fontodi Vigna del Sorbo Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG
(Chianti; 100% Sangiovese; one year in French barriques, one third new, and one year in large casks)
A red-peppercorn and minty aroma; pleasantly medicinal and grassy. Slim, trim, lighter-bodied, showing some tension and attractive herbal notes on the palate. The tannins have light grip and crunch up front but are refined, and the well-sustained finish is silky, with a light puff of garden herbs. There’s a touch of minerality visible through the lighter texture of this wine. Digestive! 2027–38. | 95
