TOLAINI | Tenuta San Giovanni | Valdisanti | Toscana | 2020
cabernet sauvignon | cabernet franc

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The Tolaini winery was founded by Pier Luigi Tolaini in 1998 in the southern area of the Chianti Classico wine region, when he returned to his homeland after many years abroad, to start his own winemaking project. Located in Castelnuovo Berardenga, the winery has built a reputation for crafting high-quality red wines by applying cutting-edge technologies, yet still respecting the local traditions and the unique terroir. Today we are are going to review a genuine Super Tuscan wine blend from the famous Chianti wine region in Toscana – Tenuta San Giovanni Valdisanti Toscana 2020 by Tolaini. This wine strikes a perfect balance between traditional local viticulture and modern winemaking practices – a harmonious blend of cabernet sauvignon (50%) and cabernet franc (50%), where cabernet sauvignon forms the wine’s main body and structure, while cabernet franc adds up-front richness and creates a leaner and a more dynamic finish. And because the wine doesn’t use the local sangiovese grapes, it couldn’t be homologated under the Chianti appellation, therefore it bears the IGT designation, in the spirit of most of the supertuscan wines. The grapes for this wine were sourced from the slopes of the esteemed San Giovanni vineyard, from vines that are over 20 years old, planted on sandy and tufaceous terraces. In order to soften the tannins and add a layer of extra complexity to the final blend, the wine has been aged for 16 months in french oak barriques, with additional bottle ageing before it was deemed ready for the market release.

The Chianti Classico area in the Toscana wine region is renowned for its diverse terroir, characterized by rolling hills and steep terraces, with warm summers and mild winters, which provide ideal conditions for grape growing. The soils composition differ vastly, from rocky and sandy well-drained subsoils that imparts a distinctive minerality and complexity to the grapes, to fertile, clay-based and rich in nutrients limestone soils that enhance flavours and fruit expression to the wines. The region is split in smaller area or sub-regions, which allow the winemakers to experiment with different plots in order to build a wine that truly reflects their vision, or wines that are capable to showcase the unique traits of the local terroir.

Toscana region has long boasted an impressive reputation in the world of great wines, earning its prestige as one of the most impressive and creative production areas in the world of wine as a result of a number of forward-thinking producers that experimented with international grape varieties like merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc.

color: deep and bright ruby color
clarity: hazy ruby shades at the rim

In the glass, this wine displays a deep yet bright ruby color, with hazy ruby shades at the rim, hinting at its youthful character.

intensity: rich & dusty
fruit character: ripe

On the first nose, the wine is rich and dusty, dominated by ripe black fruits such as dark cherry, black plum, blackcurrant, and blackberry. Dusty undertones of black soil, ash, and pencil lead provide intriguing depth and sophistication. Background notes of peppercorn and ink accentuate the wine’s complexity, which is further complemented by oak-derived aromas of oaktree bark and tobacco.

sweetness: dry | acidity: high | alcohol: high | tannin: high | balance: good
finish: long | aftertaste: crisp & dusty

On the palate, the wine feel a bit heady, yet ripe and well-structured, with exuberant acidity that lifts the entire tasting experience. The tannins are ripe and pleasantly-seedy, contributing to a grippy texture on the mouthfeel. A crisp and dusty aftertaste lingers on the palate, reinforcing the wine’s vibrancy and its voluptuous nature.

maturity: developing | needs time | drink in 3 or 4 years from now
verdict: fine | highly recommended | a wine of premium quality with good potential

Overall, this is an ample and rich supertuscan wine blend that strikes a great balance between the vibrancy of fruit and that grippy structure on the palate. As of today, the wine is full of youthful energy, with significant aging potential. We would strongly recommend to let this wine mature for at least another 3 or 4 years, during which time it will evolve beautifully and gain further elegance, as this is a truly outstanding wine blend that has both, its distinctive personality (driven mostly by that appealing cabernet franc-based dustiness) and the footprint of the Toscana‘s signature terroir.

TOLAINI | Tenuta San Giovanni | Valdisanti | Toscana | 2020
variety: cabernet sauvignon | cabernet franc
country: Italy
region: Toscana
rating: 93.9

This wine would pair splendidly with some italian classics, like vitello tonato or tournedos rossini, thus creating a wonderful harmony between the wine’s vibrant acidity and grippy tannins, and the fat-rich savory flavors of these dishes, thus creating a culinary tasting experience that celebrates the wine’s terroir-driven character and elevates the dining experience to a completely new level of hedonistic sophistication.

The label of this wine features a chalice with a serpent, honoring Saint John the Evangelist, from a painting in a nearby church. Highly regarded by the wine critics, Valdisanti has received multiple accolades, including 94 and 93 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate for its more recent vintages, reinforcing Tolaini’s reputation as a significant player in Tuscan viticulture.

RP rating: 93
WS rating: 93.9


© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation. Cheers!