From La Poderina, one of the best producers of Brunello di Montalcino comes a wine that is, most emphatically, not Brunello.  For one thing, the delicious savory Sangiovese in this wine is blended with 20% of the Bordelaise grape Petit Verdot, an impossibility if one wants to put ‘Brunello’ on the label.  And the aging- unlike the winery’s iconic Brunello, this tasty, characterful red has never seen the inside of a wood barrel.  It, instead, is aged only in stainless steel, the better to preserve its taut, red and blue fruits and the purity of its fresh acidity.  But what it does have in common with Brunello is the source of its grapes, the wonderful vineyards La Poderina farms in Castelnuovo dell'Abate in the heart of the Brunello producing zone.  Unlike a lot of wines we see wearing the IGT Toscana Rosso moniker, there is great pedigree here lending the finished wine a depth and definition one normally never sees in the category.  We loved its sweet fruit, surprising complexity and the mid-weight roundness to its palate.  Looking for the perfect red for those burgers off the grill this coming summer?  Here’s your red!  If it’s steak instead, this flavorful red won’t bat an eye!  Can you afford not to have a case of this on hand this summer?  Just sayin’