Yesterday opened the week of Tuscan Previews reserved for the press.

The first day was dedicated to the wines of the Consortia: Carmignano, Colline Lucchesi, Maremma Toscana, Montecarlo of Lucca, Montecucco, Orcia, Pitigliano and Sovana, Terre di Pisa, Val di Cornia and Valdarno di Sopra.

Meanwhile we stress with regret the absence of the wines of the Cortona appellation, which often gave us pleasant surprises in the past.

For reasons of time we have focused only on some denominations, hoping to have another way to deepen the others in different places.

So let’s tell you about our day through some thoughts on our tastings (170 is the number of wines we were able to taste)

Valdarno di Sopra

A denomination and an area that we had already indicated for a couple of years in qualitative surprises and that this year also confirms the path taken.

These are the wines that have convinced us the most:

Toscana IGT Rosso – Bagnolo (BIO) 2015 – Podere La Madia

Toscana IGT Rosso Pinot Nero (BIO) 2016 – Podere La Madia

Toscana IGT Rosso Sangiovese Posta Reale 2016 – Fattoria Bellosguardo

Toscana IGT Rosso Barsaglina (BIO) 2015 – Mannucci Droandi

Valdarno di Sopra Sangiovese – Vigna del Molinaccio (BIO barrel champion) 2017 – Tenuta San Jacopo

Valdarno di Sopra Sangiovese Reserve Castello di Montozzi 2016 – Migliarina and Montozzi

Valdarno di Sopra Sangiovese Vigna dell’Impero (barrel champion) 2016 – Tenuta Sette Ponti

Valdarno di Sopra Sangiovese Boggina (BIO) 2016 – Petrolo

Valdarno di Sopra Red Reserve Alle Cave (sample of barrels) 2014 – Terra Etruria

Valdarno di Sopra Sangiovese Ottantadue 2017 – Podere Il Carnasciale

Valdarno di Sopra Sangiovese Reserve (BIO) 2012 – Fattoria Fazzuoli

Valdarno di Sopra Rosso Borrigiano (BIO) 2017 – Il Borro

Valdarno di Sopra Rosso Cavasonno 2016 – Migliarina and Montozzi

Valdarno di Sopra Syrah Villa Le Vigne (sample of barrels) 2015 – Villa Le Vigne

Barco Reale di Carmignano, Carmignano and Vin Santo del Carmignano

The tasting of the wines of this denomination is divided into two groups: a set of interesting wines that goes towards a model of elegance and juiciness that in this edition of the previews is more reduced in numerical terms, and another part ( unfortunately this time more substantial) which proceeds instead in an unclear direction leaving some doubt to the taster.

Here are the labels we preferred:

Carmignano Riserva Trefiano 2015 – Capezzana

Carmignano 2016 – Podere Allocco

Carmignano Reserve The Red Circus 2015 – Pratesi

Carmignano Riserva 2015 – Podere Allocco

Vin Santo di Carmignano Riserva 2011 – Capezzana

Carmignano Riserva 2016 Preview – Tenuta Le Farnete

Carmignano Riserva Elzana 2015 – Ambra Farm

Barco Reale di Carmignano 2017 – Podere Allocco

Carmignano 2016 – Il Sassolo

Hills of Lucca

We have seen a reduction in average quality with respect to wines tested last year, with some problematic samples being present.

Even here we do not hesitate to provide you with the list of our best tastings:

Hills of Lucca Tenuta di Valgiano 2015 – Tenuta di Valgiano

Hills of Lucca House and Church 2016 – Tenuta Lenzini

Hills of Lucca Picchio Rosso 2016 – Colle di Bordocheo

Hills of Lucca – Bordocheo Rosso 2017 – Colle di Bordocheo

Colline Lucchesi – Villa Sardini2017 – Pieve S.Stefano

Toscana IGT Rosso Loto2015 – Villa Santo Stefano

Orcia

For this denomination, which is often overshadowed by the proximity of Montalcino, comforting signs arrive that indicate a progression of average quality.

Here are our best tastings:

Orcia Sangiovese La Mannella 2016 – Il Poggio

Orcia Rosso La Fonte 2015 – Bagnaia

Orcia Sangiovese Sesterzo 2015 – Poggio Grande

Orcia Sangiovese Riserva 2012 – Atrium

Red Lion Red Orcia 2016 – Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Orcia Sangiovese Aetos 2016 – Tenuta Sanoner

Orcia Rosso Grottascura 2015 – Bagnaia

Orcia Sangiovese 2016 – Atrium

Montecucco

Another area that suffers the proximity of Montalcino that often steals the scene. The tastings outline a not very homogeneous whole with some very convincing wines, others that however stand on discrete qualitative levels, and another group that is still (not a little numerous) that has yet to find a way of improvement.

And here are the wines that impressed us the most:

Montecucco Sangiovese Maciarine 2015 – Le Maciarine

Montecucco Sangiovese Sottocasa 2015 – Poderi Firenze

Montecucco Sangiovese Reserve Podere Assolati 2015 – Poderi Assolati

Montecucco Sangiovese Rosso della Porticcia 2015 – Casale Pozzuolo

Montecucco Sangiovese Campinuovi 2015 – Campinuovi

Montecucco Sangiovese Peteglia 2015 – Peteglia

Montecucco Sangiovese Riserva Viandante 2013 – Tenuta L’Impostino

Montecucco Sangiovese Istrico 2016 – Villa Patrizia

Montecucco Sangiovese La Fonte 2015 – Pianirossi

Montecucco Sangiovese Reserve Podere Montale 2015 – Podere Montale

Finally we want to point out a tasting of a Maremma wine (unfortunately for this denomination we have made few tastings and we are not able to give you a general impression) that has particularly amazed us:

Maremma Toscana Alicante Oltreconfine Grenache – Cantine Bruni

And so our day ends yesterday. Today we will be busy tasting Chianti Lovers at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence. We will tell you everything tomorrow.