Tasting - Achille Lgt Toscana Rosso

 

Name: Achille Igt Toscana Rosso

Variety: 90% Sangiovese 10% Merlot

Region: Tenuta I Colli, Tuscany

Country: Italy

Year: 2020

Price: $14.99

Winery Review: Fresh and bright cherry aromas and flavors. Medium body, light tannins an a bright finish. Lemony undertone - James Suckling. (2021) - 90

Wine Folly: Wine folly did not make mention of this particular blend, however on page 162, Sangiovese is described as having a high acidity and containing cherry, roasted tomato, oregano, espresso and sweet balsamic flavorings. When tasting, I detected the fruitiness of the cherry and perhaps hints of the espresso, but I did not detect roasted tomato or oregano, however this is likely due to the food pairing I partnered it with. On page 131, Merlot is described as having flavorings of cherry as well along side dried herbs, and plum which I also detected. However, the chocolate hints it contained were lost on me.

My Review: It was good, but not my favorite. This rating surprised me as I thoroughly enjoy blends as well as merlot, but perhaps Sangiovese is not paired well with my palate. Upon the initial fruity taste, I detected earthy undertones, which likely were the role of the dried herbs. However, what stuck out to me more than anything was the very acidic nature of the wine which made me more aware of the mouth feel than of the taste. That being said, It was by no means a bad wine and I would even recommend it, but it was not my personal favorite.

I tasted this along side pasta with a homemade red sauce with an abundance of spice which likely is the reason for my personal issue with the wine. The blend, and Sangiovese in particular, is acidic enough to bite through the spice, which many people enjoy. However, because of the overwhelming taste of the sauce as it was, I could barely taste the fruit and hidden undertones and was left with only the acidity to burn away at my mouth, which, while effective at unmasking the wine, took away from its flavor and the balance it had previously attempted to maintain in my opinion.