2012 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscano

Compelling aromas of chili pepper, nuts, beeswax and dark fruits with dried strawberries. Hints of black olives and meat. Full body with extremely thick, silky tannins and a long, flavorful finish. This is layered and so structured, with fabulous length and density. Savory. Chocolate powder at the end. This needs at least three or four years of bottle age. A triumph for the vintage. Pure merlot. Review Date: September 2014

The 2012 Redigaffi jumps from the glass with explosive dark blue/blackish fruit. Rich, voluptuous and impeccably textured in the glass, the 2012 boasts massive depth and concentration, yet retains tons of freshness. Silky tannins round out a finish laced with melted road tar, herbs and leather. For such a big wine, the Redigaffi is remarkably complex and nuanced. The 2012 was aged in 100% new, thick-staved Darnajou barrels, which are seldom seen in Italy but widely used throughout Napa Valley and elsewhere. In some recent vintages I have slightly preferred the Syrah over the Redigaffi, but in 2012 the wines are both fabulous. Simply put, the 2012 Redigaffi is a stunner. Review Date: September 2014

The epic 2012 Redigaffi (100% Merlot) shows amazing depth and a great sense of inner energy and seductive charm. The wine is soft and yielding with ripe layers of cherry, blackberry and cassis that slowly morph into savory spice, leather and tobacco. This Merlot boldly promotes its all-Italian characteristics of Mediterranean shrub and wild sage that ground the wine in a sense of place. The warm vintage has shaped soft tannins and thick, penetrating extraction that moves slowly over the palate. Give this beautiful wine a few more years to find its footing and lose its baby fat. Review Date: September 2015