Mazzei 'Siepi' Castelli di Fonterutoli, Toscana IGT, 2021, 75cl

This top-shelf wine from Mazzei is a blend of 50-50 Merlot and Sangiovese. The Sangiovese goes into tonneaux and the Merlot ages in 70% new barrique for 18 months. The 2021 Siepi (in a heavy glass bottle) opens to sweet fruit nuances of cooked cherry, blackberry preserves, cinnamon and nutmeg. This full-bodied wine is supple and very soft in terms of mouthfeel, and its flavor profile is expansive and all-encompassing. This wine is balanced and seamless, and the 2021 vintage is certainly one of the best editions of Siepi we've seen so far. This exciting 30,000-bottle production will go to market in September 2023.