Corte Medicea Toscana Rosso Aros 2019

This wine represents the revolutionary Supertuscan movement that began in the 1970s when Italian winemakers started blending international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon with traditional Sangiovese, breaking free from restrictive DOC regulations. By using this 50/50 blend, Corte Medicea follows in the footsteps of legendary wines like Sassicaia and Ornellaia, creating wines that prioritise quality and expression over traditional rules. The Toscana IGT classification allows this creative freedom, resulting in wines that often outperform their traditionally-made counterparts.

The Sangiovese brings classic Tuscan characteristics - bright cherry flavours, sandy tannins, and natural acidity that makes the wine food-friendly. The Cabernet Sauvignon adds structural backbone, deeper colour, and rich blackcurrant notes that give the wine more power and aging potential. This marriage creates a wine that's both approachably Italian in style yet has the concentration and complexity that international palates appreciate, explaining why it earned such high ratings from critics.

Luca Maroni is one of Italy's most respected wine critics, known for his rigorous tasting methodology and focus on technical excellence and pleasure factor. A 98-point score from Maroni indicates this wine demonstrates exceptional balance, complexity, and drinking pleasure - particularly impressive for a wine at this price point. Maroni's scoring system emphasises wines that deliver immediate enjoyment while maintaining technical precision, suggesting this Aros offers both accessibility and sophistication.

Serve this wine at 16-18°C to allow its complex aromatics to fully express themselves while maintaining the structure that Cabernet brings to the blend. Decanting for 30-60 minutes will help integrate the oak influences and soften the tannins, revealing more of the cherry and blackcurrant fruit. The wine's full body and rich character make it perfect for hearty dishes like grilled meats, aged cheeses, or classic Tuscan fare like bistecca alla fiorentina.

While this wine is drinking beautifully now, the Cabernet Sauvignon component and judicious oak treatment suggest it has the structure to develop for another 5-7 years. The 2019 vintage was excellent in Tuscany, with ideal ripening conditions that produced wines with both immediate appeal and long-term potential. As it ages, expect the oak to integrate further while the fruit evolves from primary cherry and blackcurrant notes toward more complex tertiary flavours of leather, tobacco, and dried herbs.