Tuscany (Toscana) was the main (and only) topic of the evening. It's a big region (bigger than e.g. Bordeaux), with lots of appellations (DOCG, DOC and IGT). Many 'famous' Italian wines originate here. And I have to say, the wines we tasted lived up to its promise. Wim gathered a very nice selection indeed. Thanks Wim.
One overall negative point is the price. Tuscany is not cheap (to visit, eat or drink). You pay for quality and you hopefully get quality !
If you've never been to Tuscany, do so, as its countryside and cities (Florence/Firenze, Sienna, Pisa, Lucca, Volta, Montepulciano, Pienza, ...) are stunning. Add to that great food and excellent wines: what more can men want (except for lower prices).
As said before, the wines were all of good to excellent quality. You'll find them below. The best ones for me were without a doubt:

  • the Cavalli (yes, the fashion designer) from Degli Dei, with a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend (a SuperToscan) 2007.
  • a Brunello di Montalcino from Roberto Cosimi (Beato 2004). Too bad the nose was a bit modest.
  • a Bolgheri from Castelli di Bolgheri, 2005. Still lots of potential, powerful and elegant.
Here's a list of all the wines we had:

A typical Vernaccia di San Gimignano: lively acids, soft on the palette. A great (simple) summer wine.
A very expensive (almost 50 EUR) white: smooth honey aroma and taste. Marvelous. From Querciabella. Parker gave it a 92.
A Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Famous DOCG, but this one was underperforming.
A nice Cab Sav - Sangiovese from Lamole.

A Chianti Classico from Il Molino di Grace. Very balanced. 34,20 EUR.
A splendid Supertoscan from Cavalli. Very complex nose and taste. Extremely elegant. 44,80 EUR
A Brunello de Montalcino from Cosimi. 100% Brunello (Sangiovese) of course. Nicely structured, supple tannines. 52,75 EUR
Another bombshell from Bolgheri. Classic Bordeaux blend. Powerful, elegant and still fill of potential. 44,25 EUR

A sweet Vin Santo (based on Malvasia en Grechetto). Nutty.
Served with Cantuccini (Biscotti). 		(front label)
Extra: I wanted to tease,and brought a wine we tasted blind. It was Italy related: 100% Nebbiolo, but it was from... 		(back label)
...Baja California, Mexico !
Not as strong as a Piemonte Nebbiolo, but very nice. Better than my previous experiences with Mexican wines. 17 EUR.


Next week, we'll discover the South of Italy: Puglia, Campania, Sicily, Sardinia,...
PS. If you're wondering what the 'Bonum Vinum Laetificat cor hominis' at the top means: it's the tagline of Wim's wineshop, and it's Latin for: 'Good wine gladdens a person's heart'.

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