The Italy Wine Project

Regions / Tuscany

DOCStill huntingEasy

Bolgheri DOC

The Bordeaux of Italy: a coastal strip under a cypress-lined avenue where Cabernet and Merlot ripen fully in maritime warmth on iron-rich clay and gravel. Reds show cassis, black cherry, Mediterranean scrub, graphite and cedar, with plush, ripe tannin and 14% alcohol or more; superiore bottlings from Ornellaia, Grattamacco and Le Macchiole rank among Italy's most expensive. The basic rosso from Guado al Tasso, Le Serre Nuove or Michele Satta is a much cheaper way to taste the zone, and the Vermentino-based whites are underrated.

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Bottles I'm chasing

ProducerWinePriceBuy
Antinori Tenuta Guado al Tasso
Il Bruciato Bolgheri
The everyday Bolgheri: Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah with cassis, cocoa and soft tannin, in every store.
$25 to $30Wine-Searcher
Ornellaia
Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri
Second wine of Ornellaia, Merlot-led, with plum, violet and polished tannin; a good proxy for the grand vin at a third of the price.
$60 to $75Wine-Searcher
Grattamacco
Bolgheri Superiore
Hillside estate that includes Sangiovese in the blend, more savory and structured than the valley-floor giants; imported by Winebow.
$90 to $120Wine-Searcher