2001 Villa Antinori Toscano

[Zinner]

Tonight I chatted a bit with Guido Orzalesi of Altesino (he's assistant to the head winemaker) about the question of "Super Tuscans." He said there are no rules except that the grapes must be grown in Tuscany. Beyond that he considers the more full-bodied and aged wines to fall in that category(as opposed to lighter, fresher wines).

The name came about because of wines such as Sassicaia and Ornallia (sp?) which were not Chianti or Brunellos.

Many are Sangiovese mixed with Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot or both, but a Super Tuscan can be 100% one varietal. Thus Orzalesi considers Altesino's '99 Borgo d'Altesi, which is all Cabernet, to be a Super Tuscan.

If it seems a bit hard to pin down, I think that the Italians don't mind having no precise definition. Orzalesi thinks Americans show much more interest in the technical details of wine than Europeans. There it's a question of who producer is and how the bottle tastes. People find a producer who is making a style of wine that they like and that's what matters to them.