2020 Piaggia - Carmignano DOCG Riserva (750ml)

Piaggia is a family-run estate in Poggio a Caiano, in Tuscany's small and historic Carmignano zone just northwest of Florence. Founded in the 1970s by Mauro Vannucci, who was drawn to the site by its excellent exposure, the estate is now guided by the next generation of the family. Since bottling its first DOCG wine in 1991, Piaggia has built a reputation for rich, elegant wines, and the Carmignano Riserva remains the flagship expression of the property.

The wine comes from an old vineyard near Poggetto, shielded from northern cold by the Apennines and from coastal weather by the Montalbano hills, an ideal setting for Sangiovese alongside small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Grapes are hand-selected through a rigorous sorting process, then fermented with indigenous yeasts and left on the skins for roughly three weeks before aging in French oak barriques for around eighteen months, followed by further time resting in bottle.

Aromas of dried rose and black cherry mingle with cedary spice and dark chocolate, while the palate turns silky and layered, carrying polished red and blue fruit lifted by lively acidity. Fine, well-integrated tannins give the wine real structure, and the finish lingers with notes of white pepper, licorice, and violet. This Riserva suits grilled steak, braised lamb, or a well-aged pecorino.