12/8/06 Super Tuscan

Welcome to Vine to Wine this is your host Linda Moran and today we are going to answer a question that came up in a class I recently taught. The question of the term Super Tuscan. We often hear the term Super Tuscan used to describe an Italian wine. I recently taught a class and realized there is some confusion about the reference. However, before we jump into defining Super Tuscan let me give you the key information you will need to understand the terminology. Tuscany is a region in Italy where the primary and traditional wine was Chianti. Chianti is by law a blended wine with the primary grape being Sangiovese. Italy is much like France in that certain grapes are grown, primarily in only one region and that becomes the hallmark of the region. When a wine does not meet the criteria to be labeled Chianti a proprietary name is usually created to describe it. The term Super Tuscan was coined to identify the wines made in a less traditional style. These wines although using Sangiovese as the primary grape are blending with it grapes that are not traditionally Tuscan such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and even Syrah. Knowing this I am sure you guessed these wines are much bigger and bolder wines and tend to be more expensive. So there you have it the explanation of a Super Tuscan wine. Remember to send your wine questions to Linda at vine to wine dot net and thank you for joining me on today's Vine to Wine.