“Tuscany Previews 2024” close their journey with “L’Altra Toscana” in the glass

From the hills that look to the sea in Maremma to those of Rufina, from Montecucco, which looks to Montalcino and the Grosseto area, to Cortona, from the historicity of Carmignano to the sinking Orcia of the Val d’Orcia Unesco World Heritage Site, passing through the Valdarno di Sopra, between Florence and Arezzo, and beyond: “Tuscan Previews” 2024 close their journey with the “L’Altra Toscana” stage, which gathered the Region’s most “hidden” but no less intriguing Denominations in a rich and articulate tasting day. Eighteen Denominations brought their new vintages for tasting: more than 350 labels that tell different, and perhaps lesser-known, facets of oenological Tuscany, but no less interesting.
“L’Altra Toscana Association, as of today, represents as much as 40% of the regional bottled wine”, explains Francesco Mazzei at the head of the Association and president of the Consortium for the Protection of Tuscan Maremma Wines, the project leader, “which enriches Tuscan wine with countless varieties and diversities that characterize us and with increasingly high quality peaks”.
Tuscan Maremma, Montecucco and Montecucco Sangiovese, Orcia, Cortona, Valdarno di Sopra, Terre di Pisa, Chianti Rufina, Terre di Casole, Grance Senesi, Montescudaio, Suvereto, Val di Cornia and Rosso della Val di Cornia, Carmignano, Barco Reale di Carmignano and Vin Santo di Carmignano, and for the first time the impressive Igt Toscana (“hat” of so many of the region’s great blazon wines, ed.) the universe represented by the Doc, Docg and Igt wines of the “L’Altra Toscana” association, capable of telling the story of Tuscan wine through its variety par excellence, Sangiovese, but also through the expressive kaleidoscope offered by vines such as Ciliegiolo, Grenache, Pugnitello, Foglia Tonda, Mammolo, Vermentino Nero and Canaiolo, just to name the most widely used. A true picture of dazzling colors that becomes even more understood when the various nuances are perceived in unison.
Turning to WineNews’ best tastings, Piaggia’s Carmignano Riserva 2021 is a wine with a generous overall approach with lush fruitiness distinguishing the aromas finished with spicy touches. In the mouth, the sip is dense and soft with a well-profiled finish. Castello di Fonterutoli’s Siepi 2021, but not for the first time, possesses aromatic and gustatory traits of rare refinement. Surprising for the vitality of its sip is the Montecucco Rosso 2020 from Le Piane, with aromas of herbs and small red fruits. Then, a pair of really well-executed Syrahs, despite their stylistic differences: the Cortona Syrah Il Castagno 2021 from Fabrizio Dionisio has peppery and fruity olfactory baggage that is intense and well-focused, with the sip flowing nimbly and contrastingly; Stefano Amerighi’s Cortona Syrah 2021 has aromas of ripe fruit, earthy touches and slight smoky hints to introduce a gritty sip with fine personality. Pleasantly savory and deep is the taste development of Beconcini’s Terre di Pisa Rosso Maurleo 2021, with fruity, spicy and underbrush aromas. Confirmed as one of the best “Tuscan-style” Bordeaux cuts is the 2020 Caberlot from Il Carnasciale, with its unmistakable spicy nose and touches of ivy accompanying a responsive and tasty sip. Another confirmation with Bruni’s Maremma Grenache Oltreconfine 2021, with a nose of black cherry and blackberry with touches of gunpowder and spice, and a smooth taste but not lacking in energy. Fine, slender and articulate Maremma Ciliegiolo Silio 20221 from Montauto, with fine aromas of small red fruits and tones of herbs. Classic right from its olfactory profile is Frascole’s Chianti Rufina Riserva 2020, with fruity tones, earthy and slightly smoky flashes that precede a sip with pleasantly nervous tannins and well-focused acid fragrance.
In addition to the classic tasting run by Fisar sommeliers and at consortium stands, in the event with professional direction by “Scaramuzzi Team”, five different tasting routes were also offered to better juggle the many available tastings: the Whites made from native and international grape varieties, including bubbles; the Sangiovese - This route includes all the red and rosé wines produced with a prevalence of the Sangiovese grape variety (minimum 85%); the Sangiovese blends with the red and rosé wines produced with the contribution of the Sangiovese grape variety from a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 80% in blends with other native and/or international varieties; the internationals with the red and rosé wines produced with international̀ varieties, either on their own or in blends with each other; and the other Autochthonous, which includes all the red and rosé wines produced with native varieties other than Sangiovese, either on their own or in blends with each other (Ciliegiolo, Alicante, Pugnitello, Foglia Tonda, Mammolo, black Vermentino, Canaiolo).
Also on stage was a special focus “Valdarno di Sopra: from disciplinary changes to “Vigna” wines, the evolution of a Denomination based on territorial vocation, organic viticulture and quality”, led by Daniele Cernilli (and, with in the room, Salvatore Ferragamo of “Il Borro”, Luca Sanjust of Petrolo and Alberto Moretti Cuseri of Tenuta Setteponti), and the Torrini Award no. 2, in memory of journalist Beatrice Torrini, which was awarded to Danielle Callegari, a signature from Italy for the U.S. magazine “Wine Enthusiast”, along with Jeff Porter, who distinguished himself with her writings on Tuscan wine and viticulture.