On today’s show Carmen and I talked about some outstanding super Tuscan wines and answer the question, “What is a super Tuscan?”. We also talked about two of our favorite Burgundian style wines from California.
Super Tuscans
Super Tuscan wines are high-quality wines from Tuscany that deviate from traditional Italian wine laws spelled out in DOC and DOCG (Controlled designation of origin) by incorporating non-native grapes such as Cabernet and Merlot, sometimes alongside native Sangiovese.
Toscano Guidalberto from Tenuta San Guido winery
Bolgheri (bol gur ee), along the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, is the area in Italy where some of the best super Tuscans come from. The most renowned and very pricy, Sassiccaia comes from Tenuta San Guido winery. In 1948 the Rocchetta family began a revolution in Tuscan winemaking by obtaining Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vine cuttings from Bordeaux and planting them in the Bolgheri coastal area. He aged his wine in non-traditional French barriques (small barrels) instead of the traditional Slavonian oak casks preferred in Tuscany. The wine was enjoyed by the family and friends for many years, when, in 1968, he and his family decided to bring this non-traditional wine to market, and the Super Tuscan tradition was born. The winery, which only makes three wines, produces a more affordable offering called Toscano Guidalberto which is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet and Merlot.
Guidalberto tasting notes: Aromas of Mediterranean herbs, black fruit, and tobacco. Medium to full bodied with flavors of ripe currant and blackberry, supple tannins and bright acidity. Long, savory finish.
La Volte from Tenuta dell’Ornellaia (or nah lie a)
The winery, Ornellaia, makes a wine of the same name that is consistently one of Wine Spectator’s top wines and costs upwards of $250. La Volte is their entry level wine, labeled as IGT (Indicazione Geografica Typica) which means it is from a broader geographic region and is not as restrictive as DOC or DOCG. La Volta is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Verdot.
La Volta tasting notes: Blueberry and blackberry aromas and flavors with silky tannins on the finish.
Campo al Mare Rosso Bolgheri
Tenuta Campo al Mare is a relatively large estate divided into 6 vineyards, each dedicated to the cultivation of a single variety according to its suitability to the terroir. They grow various international grapes as well as Vermentino, the native white grape to the area. Campo al Mare Rosso is a Bordeaux style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot.
Campo al Mare Rosso tasting notes: Aromas and flavors of red fruits, herbs, chocolate and vanilla with a silky tannin finish.
Two Burgundian Wines From California
Pinot Noir
Out – Take – Pinot Noir from Out-Take Wine Company. Winemaker Joe Wagner, 5th generation winemaker, CEO of Copper Cane Wines, son of Caymus founder Chuck Wagner, and mostly known as the owner and winemaker of famed of Belle Glos wines. Wagner is no slouch when it comes to making Pinot Noir. He founded Meiomi, a Pinot Noir brand intended for a wider audience and sold it to Constellation Brands for an astonishing $315 million dollars in 2015.
Circle Liquors has Out – Take Pinot Noir in the Specials rack for a very reasonable price. The reason that this high-quality wine is offered at such a good price is that the winemaker, Wagner, is buying these almost completed wines directly from wineries at a low cost and putting his finishing touches on them and bringing them to market at an affordable price.
Tasting notes: Layers of dark cherry, forest floor, and subtle spice all wrapped in a serious tannic structure built for aging.
If you are looking for additional Pinot Noir wines in the $30 and under range, try ones from the Willamette Valley in Oregon: A to Z, Adelsheim, Chad, Erath, Lange, and Duck Pond. Also, Anderson Valley Sonoma Pinots such as Anthill Farms and Decoy from Duckhorn.
Sonoma-Cutrer (cut rer) Chardonnay
The Cutrer vineyard in the heart of the Russian River Valley utilizes Burgundian traditions along with California ingenuity and an appreciation for Sonoma Valley terroir. These traditions were introduced by monks in the Middle Ages and include the concept of terroir (identifying specific plots whose soil, climate, and site location produced the best grapes.) The grapes are sorted by hand to select the best and prevent bruising.
Tasting notes: Aromatic notes of pineapple, apple blossom, and oak spice. Flavors of ripe apple and pear with bright acidity and softness on the palate. Sophisticated layer of barrel spice on the finish.
For more information listen to the Tony Mart Presents radio show streaming anytime on the WPG website. Carmen Marotta and I talk about these wines on the 9/27/2025 episode.
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