Only $24.99

The Tuscan IGT category is an interesting one. Born, really, when the regulations for the production of Chianti Classico were liberalized in the mid-1990s, it was created to codify wines that were being made at many wineries as ‘upside down versions of Super Tuscans’ that used to be just classified as Vino da Tavola.  ‘Super Tuscans,’ you might remember, were first created to name wines that were meant to be the very best a winery- usually in the Classico zone- could produce, but not within the confines of the restrictive and antiquated regulations to qualify as, say, Chianti Classico.  Once they were, after 1995, liberated from the tyranny of a formulaic recipe, some wineries decided to fill that IGT (or ‘typical wine of the region’) designation that was originally created with Super Tuscans in mind, with wines that were of high quality, not married to any formal regulation but not the ‘best’ they could produce.  This sub-category has become home to some of the best values in the entire region and the IGT Tocsana Rosso phenomenon has spread much further than just Chianti Classico. How about this little gem from nearby Maremma?  When Giuseppe Castignoli first established the Querciabella wine estate in 1974 near Greve-in-Chianti, in the heart of the Classico zone, his aim was to farm with an eye towards preserving the natural beauty of the region and to produce wines that were expressive of its time-honored traditions.  To say he succeeded would be an understatement.  Even today, under the leadership of Giuseppe’s granddaughter, Mita, Querciabella is guided by the same principles, highlighted by a fierce commitment to organic viticulture.  Over the years, the property has grown to include 50 hectares of vineyards in Chianti Classico, including 42 hectares in the Maremma where they produce their version of an IGT called Mongrana.  Launched in 2005, the Mongrana has been recognized over the years as one of Tuscany’s best value reds.  It’s an intriguing blend of Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot, aged for 12 months in small oak barrels before release.  This is the epitome of what makes the IGT movement so great!  The wine is a symphony greater than its constituent parts.  There’s a ton of fresh, vibrant red fruit with liltingly soft tannins and lovely, fresh acidity.  It drinks like Tuscan silk!  Quality like this, at such an attractive price is hard to beat, but it’s the bread and butter of Italian wines.  Pair Mongrana with the steaks this kind of wine loves so much, but it’s also easy-going enough to match up well with smoked meats and Tuscan cheese, poultry dishes of all sorts and anything, really, with grill marks on it.  Every larder needs a case of wine like this, right?  Summer is here and we want you to be prepared! – Frank Rothstein, PRIMA’s Minister of Value