Tasting notes:

In Casole d’Elsa in the Siena district lies this brilliant piece of Tuscan terroir. The hillside vineyard, Osteria delle Macchie, is 2.3ha and was planted in 2001. It has been denominated DOC Terre di Casole Sangiovese, and is an ambassador for Tuscany. The wine, deep ruby with a cherry-hued rim, is full of red cherry, pomegranate and ripe plum fruit, accented by chocolate and vanilla, and a hint of lavender. Dry, the palate is pure and still youthful, with brisk acidity and grippy tannins supporting the flavours. Linear in style and elegant, with plenty of time for development, the wine could be paired now with veal scaloppine finished with a dash of dry Marsala and gently steamed cavalo nero (with a hint of nutmeg) as a side dish. (Patricia Stefanowicz MW)