Really Super Tuscans

This week we feature some really super wines from Tuscany with equally super prices for a selection of top Chianti Classico, Rosso di Montalcino, Brunello and “Super Tuscan” cabernet blends – featuring both of favourite wineries and new producers listed for the first time. We also celebrate the 15th anniversary vintage of the Planeta Chardonnay with a special offer on a number of wines from this leading Sicilian vineyard. A selection of the offers are detailed here in the emailer but there are more offers on our deal of the week Tuscany page. We have updated our winery profiles on all the wineries featured and here profile two of our new wineries, Poggiotondo and Poggio al Tesoro.

We’re especially delighted to have discovered and listed the Poggiotondo Cerro del Masso Chianti 2009 which must surely be one of the best value Chiantis on the market today and on sale from just under £8 per bottle at the case rate. Poggiotondo is the family estate of one of Italy’s most famous “flying winemakers” Alberto Antonini who established his stellar reputation initially at Frescobaldi and then as chief winemaker for Antinori and has consulted with, among others, Robert Mondavi and Au Bon Climat in California. Poggiotondo covers 70 hectares on the Western hills of the Chianti region which provides a perfect microclimate for growing grapes. The soil conditions and the ideal exposure of the vineyards to sunlight together with the climate and low yielding vineyard management practice ensure perfect ripening of well balanced and flavour ripe grapes. Alberto Antonini, the owner and winemaker at Poggiotondo makes his wines in a modern style, whilst adhering to the true regional characteristics of the Chianti region in which the grapes are grown and the process of converting the vineyards to organic classification for certification in 2014 has begun. Balance and harmony is the philosophy of all Poggiotondo wines – Alberto says about winemaking “the more I know the less I do, but to do less you have to know more.” The 2010 Bianco and 2011 Rosato from Poggiotondo are also utterly captivating.

One of the most exciting estates to have emerged from Italy in recent years, Poggio al Tesoro is a 172 hectare estate in Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast acquired in 2001 by the Allegrini family. The property, which initially cost $6.8 million, rubs shoulders with some of Tuscany's best-known estates, such as Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Angelo Gaja's Ca' Marcanda. Alberto Antonini was consultant here until 2009 when Nicola Biasi took over. Both flagship reds - the Sondraia and ‘W’ Cabernet Franc - won Gold medals at the 2009 International Wine Challenge. The main source for Cabernet Sauvignon is a 3 hectare plot ’Via Bolgherese’ situated at 56 metres above sea level where soils are deep, composed of coarse red sand, rich in gravel, well drained and with a clay layer at a depth of 120 centimetres. The plant density is 9,000 vines per hectare. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and more Cabernet Sauvignon are grown in the 12 hectare ’Le Sondraie’ vineyard situated 35 metres above sea level. Soils here are free-draining and a mixture of clay and sandy silt with a high presence of magnesium and iron. Plant density is 7,500 vines per hectare. The vines are cordon trained and spur pruned in each case and the average age of the vines is nine years. Yields are around 35 hectolitres per hectare.