2020 Tolaini Al Passo (750ml)

Sangiovese from Tuscany, Italy

B-21 Top Recommendation
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A terrific choice for an everyday Italian red, Super Tuscan fans and anyone seeking outstanding bang for the buck will want to stock up on the 92 pt. 2020 Tolaini Al Passo, offering ripe spiced fruit and savory acidity with a lush, long finish, sourced from an outstanding 2020 vintage producing “rich, sumptuous wines” according to critic Antonio Galloni and the rare Super Tuscan that’s also a super bargain.

After 40 years of running a successful business in Canada, entrepreneur Pier Luigi Tolaini returned to his native Tuscany with the goal of producing top quality wines from Sangiovese, purchasing 25 hectares in the hills of the Castelnuovo Berardenga region of Chianti planted haphazardly with vines among olive trees and establishing Tolaini in 1998. Undertaking massive replanting of the vines and rebalancing of the soils, Pier hired famed enologist Michel Rolland and Tuscan agronomist Andrea Paoletti to manage the vineyards and construct a state-of-the-art winery, releasing the first Al Passo in 2007 and expanding the estate to over 100 hectares over the next decade. Now under the ownership and management of his daughter Lia, also the founder of Manhattan-based importer Banville Wine Merchants, Tolaini’s 65 hectares of organically certified vineyards are planted mostly to Sangiovese with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in silty clay soils rich in limestone, surrounded by a biodiverse array of vineyards, forests and olive groves. Fermented in a mix of stainless and French oak, winemaker Francesco Rosi blended nearly even parts Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon for the 2020 Tolaini Al Passo, spending a total of 14 months in French oak fermenters and barriques and another 12 months in bottle unfiltered, yielding a “powerful deep wine” according to Antonio Galloni of Vinous with rich fruit and harmonious tannins promising a decade of enjoyment.

Called “one of the most improved wineries in Chianti Classico over these last few years,” by Antonio Galloni, the fresh and vibrant 92 pt. 2020 Tolaini Al Passo offers the appealing combination of affordable and delicious, a beautifully crafted Super Tuscan blend that’s value priced to pick up by the case.

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The 2020 Al Passo is a powerful, deep wine. A blast of dark fruit, chocolate, mocha, dried herbs, leather and menthol makes a strong opening statement. This heady, internationally-styled wine has a lot going on. I would prefer to drink it over the next decade or so. The Sangiovese/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend works especially well.

92 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Aug 2023)

Savory and spicy nose with some sweet spices over the berry and citrus fruit. Expressive and fine-grained on the palate with a firm backbone and a tight, lengthy finish. Unfiltered. Drink now.

92 points, Zekun Shuai, James Suckling (Sep 2023)

A blend of equal parts Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the 2020 Al Passo offers soft lines and lots of rich fruit with black cherry, blackberry and light spice. This vintage does not have the clarity or precision of a cooler vintage, but it does offer good volume and upfront intensity. Production is 110,000 bottles.

91 points, Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Sep 2023)

A rich style, this red boasts ripe cherry, blackberry, black currant, wild herb and spice flavors aligned with a supple texture. Fresh and tangy, with a long, resonant finish. Harmonious, this is accessible now with decanting or aeration, but no rush. Sangiovese, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2028. 11,000 cases made, 7,000 cases imported.

91 points, Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator (Oct 2023)

Alcohol By Volume: 14.5%

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$19.98

Compare At: $22.99

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