Santa Vincenza "Ventoso" Morellino di Scansano '09

Here is a lovely though obscure wine from the Tuscan coast called Morellino di Scansano. Morellino is actually an ancient name for Sangiovese, the most important grape of Tuscany. It's origins in the region go back to Etruscan times and here it's proximity to the sea, elevation and volcanic soils make very good and under appreciated wines. They can be riper and more monolithic than their more famous relatives from the region that Chianti comes from, but this wine is at once delicate and complex - and it sells for $12.99. This is a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Ciliegiolo and 5% Alicante. It features very outgoing aromas of smoky cherry, violets and leather. In the mouth, it has bright medium-bodied cherryish fruit and finishes very long. I'm not really sure, but the bottler Santa Vincenza appears to be a negociant or a broker of some sort. Perhaps this is a private label of theirs. Either way, this is a beautiful wine for the price, especially if you favor finesse over size like I do. Enjoy it with grilled chicken, pizza or a light tomato sauce over you favorite pasta. Cheers!