I Giusti & Zanza Villa Uffizj Rosso 2021

cooked cranberry, red cherry, black plum, dried herbs, and old leather

This feature comes to us from the Fauglian hills, a micro-climate located in between Pisa and the Tuscan coast. This region gained prominence during the 16th century as large cities such as Florence and Pisa became crowded and many winemakers pushed westward in search of fertile vineyard land. Its proximity to the Tyrrhenian Sea leads to cooler average temperatures, a longer growing season, and even impacts the local soil types, with Jurassic-era limestone and fossils found in many vineyard sites. With such a unique terroir contributing to the quality of the wine, many producers in the region have chosen to work in as natural a method as possible, including Giusti & Zanza, founded in 1996.

I Giusti & Zanza is organically certified and has been using biodynamic preparations since its inception. In the vineyards, native flora grow between the vines, increasing soil health. The vines themselves are planted close together which increases resource competition, meaning that each vine produces smaller quantities of high-quality fruit. This wine is a blend of Sangiovese, the ubiquitous noble red grape of Tuscany, and Alicante, a Mediterranean variety which contributes body and structure to the wine. This wine spends 12 months in used French oak tonneaux before bottling.

When you open this wine, you will want to decant for up to half an hour before serving. Once this wine has a chance to open up it delivers notes of cooked cranberry, red cherry, black plum, dried herbs, and old leather. Drink now through 2027 with porchetta, lentil soup, or grilled sausage and peppers.