Mazzei Poggio Badiola 2022

Poggio Badiola is made by the Mazzei family, long established at Castello di Fonterutoli in the heart of Chianti Classico, and bottled as an IGT Toscana. It blends Sangiovese, the backbone of Tuscan red wine, with Merlot and Petit Verdot in the super Tuscan tradition that took hold in the region from the 1980s. The Sangiovese brings acidity, red fruit and savour, while the Merlot adds flesh and roundness and the Petit Verdot adds colour and a touch of spice. Tuscany's continental hill climate, with warm days and cool nights, ripens the fruit while preserving the freshness that holds the blend together. The wine spends ten months in American oak barrels, which contribute a softer, sweeter vanilla and coconut spice and gentle oxygen exchange that rounds the tannins. It pours a bright ruby red. The nose is fresh and lifted, with raspberry and cherry, a floral hint of violet and a citrus edge. The palate is medium bodied, with bright acidity, supple tannins and a clean, fruit-forward finish framed by soft oak spice. It is an approachable, food-friendly style. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees. It suits grilled meat, pork and tomato dishes.