$12 Redemption

So, $10 Tuesday was a bit of a let down this week but we found sweet relief from our wine woes in the form of Morellino di Scansano produced by Erik Banti.

Erik Banti

DOC: Morellino di Scansano
Grapes: Sangiovese 85% / Cab & Merlot 15%
Alcohol: 12.5%
Price: $12
Aromas: Cherry, stewed prune, licorice, earth
Flavors: Cherry, bramble, meat, blueberry

Summary: We find a nice fruity nose on this wine with just a touch of Sangiovese barnyard and some nice dark notes of prune and black licorice. The firm tannins are balanced by bright cherry acidity. There is some nice Willa Wonka three-course-gumball action in the form of a savory note that lingers mid-palate and then eventually mellows to blueberry in the extended finish. In other words, good stuff.

I think this wine could easily stand with other super Tuscans we've had in the $35 range. That makes this a superb value at $12. It's not as heavy or funky as Sangiovese can get, so it paired quite nicely with butternut squash stuffed shells in marinara. If the bottle lasts the night, we'll probably finish it with veggie pizza.