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Sovana DOC
Red-wine counterpart to the white Bianco di Pitigliano DOC, grown on volcanic tufa near the Lazio border. The grape to watch is Ciliegiolo, which here gives a mid-weight red full of sour cherry, wild strawberry, pepper and a savory, mineral edge with soft tannin. Sangiovese-based Rossos are earthy and bright. Sassotondo, a small organic estate near Sorano, made the case for Ciliegiolo and is the producer to look for.
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If you make Sovana, import it, or know who does, the form takes two minutes and I reply to every one.
Can you help me get one?Bottles I'm chasing
| Producer | Wine | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sassotondo | Sovana Rosso Superiore San Lorenzo Old-vine Ciliegiolo from tufa soils, aged in large oak; dark cherry, black pepper, wet stone, fine tannin, the zone's best wine; recent vintages sometimes carry Maremma Toscana instead. | $40 to $55 | Wine-Searcher |
| Sassotondo | Ciliegiolo (Sovana or Maremma Toscana) The unoaked entry bottling: crunchy red cherry, cranberry, pepper, light tannin, a good introduction to the grape. | $20 to $26 | Wine-Searcher |
| Tenuta Roccaccia | Sovana Rosso Superiore Pitigliano estate making Sangiovese-Ciliegiolo blends; earthy, herbal, medium-bodied; almost never seen in the US. | $15 to $22 | Wine-Searcher |