Ambra 1997 Carmignano

The Italian language is one that rolls off the tongue easily with a springy rhythm and a beautiful, round expressivity. It is no wonder that the Italian people love to spend hours chatting; even the most innocuous, ordinary sentence has a poetic quality. Reading Italian wine labels is no different.

Carmignano (Car-me-NYA-no) is a tiny town located just a few miles west of Florence. Nowadays, it is all the rage in Tuscany to produce so-called "Super Tuscans": wines that combine introduced varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot with the native Sangiovese. But the addition of these Bordeaux varietals is nothing new to Carmignano where Cabernet Sauvignon was first planted in the 18th century when it was known as "uva francesca" (French grape). Carmignano has received a DOCG classification, a sign of its quality and prestige.

The Carmignano from Ambra is largely Sangiovese with a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. On the nose, I find licorice or fennel, leather, violets and cherries. On the palette, there is a lots of flavor, big, round with plenty of tannins. This wine, from the superb 1997 vintage, should age nicely, reaching its full potential in five or six years.