Tirrenico Maremma Toscana Rosso 2023

The Mazzei family's Belguardo estate makes Tirrenico in the Maremma, the warm coastal strip of southern Tuscany that faces the Tyrrhenian Sea. The blend is led by Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Alicante, the classic Bordeaux grapes that thrive in this Mediterranean climate. The sea-facing vineyards catch cooling onshore breezes that temper the heat and stretch the ripening season, while the well-drained coastal soils concentrate the fruit and give the wine its dark, ripe character. After fermentation it ages twelve months in oak, where measured oxygen exchange rounds the tannin and layers in cedar and spice. It is deep, near-opaque ruby. The nose is intense, with ripe black fruits, plum and cherry over black pepper, tobacco and a savoury, earthy edge. The palate is full and structured, the Cabernet tannins firm but ripe, the Petit Verdot adding colour and grip, and the warm-climate fruit carrying a long, spiced finish. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees, decanted an hour ahead, in a large Bordeaux glass. It suits grilled and roasted red meats.