Lovers of BIG Italian reds, gather up!

Adulis you say? One taste and it’s built more like an ADONIS.

A towering 98 pointer Super Tuscan built from an equal split of Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cab Franc. Jacked to the gills with delicious fruit, and the best part…I bet you already guessed…OUR PRICE!

Sadly, this Wine Spies Exclusive is highly limited. Sitting in the warehouse, at sub-$30, you can almost see the $100 Napa Cabs blushing with embarrassment. This delivers heavyweight intensity and complexity for a welterweight price. How they do it is a Da Vinci Code to us, but we do have some hints.

Starting with Andrea Bernardini. He’s the winemaker appearing on the label, and a very in-demand consultant. That partly explains the “greatness for less” here. A graduate of the highly regarded University of Pisa’s enology and viticulture program, he first helped put Poggio Bonelli on the Tuscan map before stints around the globe taking him to South Africa, Romania, and Greece. He returned to his Tuscan roots, to oversee Ruffino, La Bollina, and CorteMedicea. Known for his modern, forward style, he’s crushing it these days.

The brute power of this red brings the top super-ripe vintages of first-growth Château, or cult Napa reds to mind. Full-bodied, it’s firm and rock-solid yet tastes very silky thanks to the sensational concentration of fruit, and ample, yet sweetly rounded tannins. Loads of minerality, a peppery character, and blackberry and red currant flavors back it all up. It’s a supercharged, and intense beauty, with a long finish.

For how much???

Still a little shocked, tbh.

Just one pallet landed in the warehouse, and it will go fast.

98 Points – Luca Maroni