Toscana Gold 2020 By Stefano Di Blasi

Toscana Gold 2020 by Stefano Di Blasi

Type: Red Wine Blend

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

ABV: 14%

Year: 2020

Personal Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑 (3.5/5)

Price: $15.99

Today’s Toscana Gold was purchased while trying out a wine subscription service. It’s a red wine blend from hills of Chianti, Italy and was bottled specifically for the wine subscription service. The varietals are not explicitly written on the label but are reportedly made from a blend of Sangiovese grapes.

Initial Thoughts

The bottle has the recognized Italian labeling “Indicazione geografica tipica” (IGT) which, in the English speaking world, is generally recognized as a “Super Tuscan” wine. Which means it is known as a good wine — better than a standard Italian table wine — but not strictly traditional or heavily controlled. The Tuscan IGT wines are generally based off the Sangiovese grape are usually blended with other grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Sangiovese is a strong, bold, and very dark red grape varietal primarily grown in northern and central Italy.

Tasting Notes

Wines generally don’t stand out when it’s cold and in December, the Toscana Gold is very muted. If drinking directly from refrigerator temps, it’s quiet with a slight fruity flavor. There’s significant tannin content leading to an unbalanced, dry aftertaste with rapidly dissipating notes of cherry.

As the wine warms to proper serving temperature and oxygen mixes in, the wine remains very light on the nose. The dark cherry notes become stronger and the sweet-bitter balance is very good. As a bold red wine, it coats the tongue and throat as the slight fruity notes quickly dissipate leading to a strong, slightly bitter, aftertaste. This wine tastes very dark — very similar to a cabernet — and would be good to have with a big heavy meal, but I tend to prefer lighter wines that can be enjoyed on their own or with a small accompaniment.

It’s quite a pleasant wine to drink, especially when having a large heavy meal, as the tanins help to wash away any meaty/greasy taste. However, I generally prefer lighter red wines that can be sipped around a shared charcuterie. It’s a good wine, but just not what I’m looking for.