Lorenzo Zonin is making some of the most fascinating wines in Maremma. The Podere San Cristoforo reds are distinguished for their exuberant fruit. So far, Sangiovese seems to be the estate's strong suit. The San Cristoforo, 100% Petit Verdot, is the only wine that appears to still be a work in progress.
90p Amaranto 2011 - The 2011 Sangiovese Amaranto bursts from the glass with sweet red cherries, raspberries and flowers. As always, the Amaranto is made in a juicy, fruity style best suited for drinking over the next few years. It remains one of the prettiest and most fairly priced wines in its price range. This is simply a joyous glass of wine and a great value to boot.
Carandelle 2010: 91 points - The 2010 Sangiovese Carandelle adds considerable structure to the overt fruit of the Amaranto. Firm yet well-integrated tannins support an expressive core of dark raspberries, flowers and licorice. There is an extreme purity to the fruit that is the hallmark of San Cristoforo. The 2010 finishes with just a hint of compactness that probably comes from the structure of 10% Petit Verdot added to the blend.
San Cristoforo 2010: 89 points - The 2010 Maremma Toscana Podere San Cristoforo is better than some previous versions, but it hasn't found its personality yet. It is a technically flawless wine, yet varietal notes are pretty much absent. Perhaps they will develop in bottle, but a surer bet is simply that these young vines need to be older before they are ready to yield fruit of exceptional quality.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
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