2021 Mazzei - Toscana Rosso IGT Philip Cabernet (750ml)

Mazzei is one of Tuscany's oldest winemaking families, with roots at Castello di Fonterutoli in Chianti Classico stretching back over six centuries and twenty five generations. The family later expanded into the Maremma coast, adding a second estate whose warmer climate offers a different expression of the same varieties. Philip is named for Philip Mazzei, an ancestor born in 1730 who traveled to Virginia, became a close friend of Thomas Jefferson, and is credited with helping shape some of the ideas behind the Declaration of Independence, a legacy the family honors through this wine's "New World" character.

The 2021 vintage is a pure Cabernet Sauvignon blend, drawing fruit from both the Fonterutoli and Maremma properties to combine the elegance of the former with the richness of the latter. The 2021 growing season began with a cold, dry winter followed by a cool, adequately wet spring, conditions that produced ripe, balanced grapes. After fermentation in steel for clarity, the wine ages in French oak barrels, part of which are new, to build depth and structure while preserving freshness.

The nose offers blackberry, blackcurrant, and violet alongside cedar, tobacco leaf, and warm spice. On the palate the wine is full and richly textured, with graphite and savory herb notes framed by supple tannins and bright acidity, finishing long and composed. It is well suited to grilled steak, roasted lamb, or a hearty mushroom and herb pasta.