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MONTE ANTICO ROSSO 2012, TUSCANY, ITALY

It isn't true what someone once said about me, that I would drink Tuscan dishwater, and say that it was delicious. That was said, I guess, because I have nothing but praise for all things Tuscan: the landscapes, monuments, people, food, and especially for the wines.Wine Spectator, the bible of wine aficionados, rated Monte Antico Rosso 2012 at 89 points. A wine scoring 86 points and above in Wine Spectator is well worth our attention; it's sure to be good.A couple of vintages ago there was a flavor in Monte Antico that I couldn't identify. It was so pronounced that it made the wine, in my opinion, imbalanced and unpleasant. This 2012 vintage has hints of that same flavor. In reading reviews of this wine, one reviewer, in describing the aromas and flavors, said chilli pepper. That was the flavor that I couldn't identify! But in this vintage it is well-integrated so as not to call attention to itself. Besides the  pleasant hint of chilli pepper, Monte Antico, a blend of Sangiovese (85%), Merlot (10%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%), has aromas and flavors of black cherries, plums, leather, licorice, chocolate, and earth. Medium- to full-bodied, it has soft tannins and a silky texture.Taste and see!