The Bolgheri Rosso from Le Macchiole is a beautiful example of a successful Super Tuscan: elegant, balanced, lovely tannins with a long and smooth finish.

What is a Super Tuscan wine?

“Super Tuscan” is a term used for red wines from Tuscany te beschrijven, met name het gebruik van niet-inheemse druiven zoals Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. In the early 1970s, renowned winemakers in Tuscany distanced themselves from Italian winemaking rules and adopted vinification methods similar to those used by farmers in France and California. Moreover, they used the same grapes for this purpose. merlot, syrah and cabernet sauvignon frequently and she used the oak barriques to age the wines. All in violation of the legal regulations of the Chianti. Thus arose the remarkable situation that many of the best wines from Tuscany had to be bottled as 'table wine'.

What the Italian legislator initially had no intention of allowing was quickly and enthusiastically received by the market, and the seemingly simplest of all wines won so many awards after only a short time that many a producer of quality wine was prompted to reconsider.

By the mid-1980s, the example had been followed far beyond the borders of Tuscany, and there was virtually no winery that did not produce at least one of these first-class table wines, which were enthusiastically dubbed “Super Tuscans” by American critics. Less than 10 years later, all the hustle and bustle was nearly over. The legislature had established new D.O.C. areas in many regions, adjusted the production regulations of existing D.O.C.s, and, moreover, introduced the category of wines with Indicazione Geografica—table wines with a geographical designation of origin. Many of the table wines that were once unusual are now offered with a D.O.C. or I.G.T. designation.

Super Tuscan from Bolgheri

Wine from Bolgheri is best known for its deep-colored, smooth yet comforting red wines, usually based on Bordeaux grape varieties. The wine-growing area features rolling vineyards on the coast near the Tyrrhenian Sea.