I wish I could attach a picture to this review. Petra, with its jaw-dropping modern cellar designed by Mario Botta and carved directly into the rocky hills of Suvereto, is a true architectural marvel. I have never seen such an ambitious building. A Google search is worth your time. What we have here is their flagship Bordeaux-style blend, sourced from the iron-rich, stony soils of the Val di Cornia in Maremma. The nose here is powerful; classic dark cassis, blackberry, and plum, lifted with notes of graphite, cedar, and the signature macchia mediterranea (Mediterranean scrub) that defines the coast. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, dense, and concentrated, but it’s not just a fruit bomb. The finish is long and savory, echoing with notes of dark chocolate and herbs. A focused wine that will make Napa and Bordeaux aficionados happy. This is my type of Super Tuscan; powerful, yes, but really Italian. A true benchmark for the region.

To someone who is an Italian wine enthusiast, but perhaps not fully knowledgeable, this seems like a fairly standard Bordeaux styled Super Tuscan. Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc. What could go wrong? Well, historically I would tell you a lot, but here absolutely nothing has gone wrong. This wine is super inviting and lush, but it still feels Italian somehow, maybe it's this hint of tomato leaf on the nose. The rest of the nose is rich and full, there's a rich and ripe black cherry, some bramble-fruit, some gratings of cranberry skin, and then it goes into barrel spices and a bit of toast. The palate is a little bit lighter than the nose would imply, but it's still medium plus with really refined and integrated tannins, super fine on the palate, the intensity of the barrel coming through on the finish. There's really nice acidity that outweighs the tannins by a bit, and a little creamy note mid-palate. This is just a delicious and super approachable bottle of wine, and I feel that it outdrinks the price by more than just a little bit. If you're looking for something super approachable and super drinkable from Italy, and you're into Super Tuscans you shouldn't even hesitate. This is a great bottle to have on your table this season, and it probably makes a nice gift too. I like gifts.