1972 Castello di Monsanto - Il Poggio Chianti Classico Riserva (89 pts)

- Pale garnet color with a watery tawny rim. Medium+ intensity on the nose. Aromas of dried cherry, dried cranberry, dried leaves, menthol, sour cherry, ash, oak, and tobacco. The wine is dry, medium+ acidity, medium alcohol, medium resolved and dusty tannins, and medium body. Sour red fruit on the palate. Sour cherry, red currant, dried cranberry, and pomegranate. Followed by aromas of oak, cedar, earth, dried leaves, tabacco, and menthol. The finish was long. I don't know a lot about this vintage in Tuscany, but this bottle was in great shape. There was a good balance in terms of acidity to the remaining fruit and tannins in the wine. This drank very well, but not for people who do not like aged wines. Castello di Monsanto is well known for their stock of legacy bottles. Il Poggio is a single vineyard from a hilltop site. Really impressed by this bottle.

 1972 Castello di Monsanto - Il Poggio Chianti Classico

2011 Bibi Graetz - Colore Toscana IGT (85 pts) & 2015 Bibi Graetz - Testamatta Toscana IGT (90 pts)

The Colore I tasted without remembering the exact price point. Aromatically this wine was interesting light red fruits, some florals, and some funk possibly due to bottle age. The palate was dry, high acidity, alcohol felt hot, medium+ spicy tannins probably from oak usage, and medium- body. Overall the wine felt thin, disjointed, acid was over the top, and tannins felt tacked on. While I love that this is an old vine plot and my inner wine geek 🍷🤓 loves the equal blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and Colorino. However, this is not even close to being worth the ridiculous price point of $450 💎😭🥊·

The Testamatta was more in line with my impression of a 💯 Sangiovese wine. This had nice red cherry, red plum, and strawberry on the nose. A bit earthy and almost salty air as well. Palate is dry, medium rounded tannins, high acidity, medium- body and medium alcohol. On the lighter side, but still balanced. Solid acidity gives it a backbone. Overall impression is that this is modern but restrained. This is still $100 and I gotta say I could name a bunch of other wines in Tuscany at 1/2 the price that I think would be more worthwhile. ·

In previous tastings, I have always preferred the Testamatta over the Colore. I guess I just don't get it 🤔·