Mazzei, Concerto Fonterutoli, IGT 2019

This is savoury, dry in the best possible way, with a ton of red fruits, dried roses and herbs, and waves of fragrance. It’s a successful blend where the Sangiovese is dominant, conferring the wine with its warm personality but the Cabernet Sauvignon adds a touch of austerity to the tannins and a sense of quiet confidence. Turmeric and olive tapenade as it opens, alongside raspberry, red cherry and smoky oak, the whole thing both extremely delicate and intensely fragrant. Can drink now with a short carafe - there are tannins here but they are well defined and finely layered - but it will also age. Small amounts of the 2018 were released last winter, but this September sees the first proper release through the Place de Bordeaux. Ageing 18 months in small French oak barrels, 70% new, plus four months in concrete tanks afterwards. One to look out for - great stuff from the Mazzei family, that has been making wine in Tuscany since the 15th century.

Such a fragrant and appealing burst of aromas here with milk chocolate, blackcurrants, dried herbs and flowers. A blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, this has a core of cherries and raspberries alongside savoury olive and oak elements with round, just-there tannins that give support to the fresh and lively fruit. Great power, depth and concentration. The wine is aged for 18 months in small French 225l oak barrels, 70% new, before moving to concrete tanks for four months.

The 2019 Concerto di Fonterutoli, the estate' 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon blend, is quite the powerhouse. Cabernet very much drives the blend in 2019, in its aromas, flavors and overall structure. Dark cherry, herbs, licorice, menthol and spice abound. Whereas the 2020 is already quite open, the 2019 needs a year or two in bottle, if not more, to be at its best.

This is very fine grained, with polished, silky tannins that provide wonderful texture and length to the wine. Plenty of cherry, blackberry, chocolate and mahogany flavors that follow through to the palate. Complex and refined. Drink after 2024, but already very elegant and beautiful.

The Mazzei 2019 Concerto di Fonterutoli comes from a classic vintage that happily brought both quality and quantity in terms of harvest. It recalls some of the greatest vintages made in the 1980s. Winter temperatures were below average and rainfall was scarce. The summer was hot but not excessively so. September brought moderate weather with good diurnal temperature fluctuations. This is a beautiful wine that is showing especially well at this moment. It offers great primary intensity, dark fruit and black cherry over elegantly chalky tannins. The 2019 comes out strongly in this retrospective.