2018 Fattoria Le Pupille Poggio Valente Toscana Rosso

Morellino di Scansano is “grape heaven,” according to Wine Spectator—an Eden of ​​sun-kissed hills just miles from the Tyrrhenian Sea that produces some of Tuscany’s liveliest, most food-friendly Sangiovese. Spectator called Fattoria Le Pupille its “reigning monarch”—and this 2018 Valente Toscana Rosso shows exactly why, boasting the layered fruit and complexity that have firmly rooted the estate in Tuscany’s upper echelon.

Morellino is prime territory for Sangiovese like this: sophisticated yet evocative of the countryside, conjuring Tuscan hills bathed in sunlight. The vineyard of Poggio Valente sits 280 meters above sea level and has an ideal south-east aspect—the better to catch the morning sun. Vines anchored in a mix of stones and sandstone soils complete the vineyard’s terroir, laying the groundwork for exceptional grapes that ultimately result in a truly distinguished wine.

The 2018 Fattoria Le Pupille Poggio Volante is the masterwork of winemaker Elisabetta Geppetti—the perfect person to showcase what Morellino can do. Her connection to the land is strong, having inherited the estate at age 20, and her iconic Saffredi bottling possesses the same status among collectors as Solaia, Ornellaia, and Sassicaia. Her 30 years of experience in the region have earned her the unofficial title of “Ambassador of Maremma,” and the epithet “Lady of Morellino.” In 1992 she became the first chairperson of the Consortium of Morellino di Scansano, further burnishing her reputation.

Her persistence has kept Le Pupilles in the upper echelon, and her dual-94-point Poggio Valente, is a wine of richness and grace. It’s tough to find in general—and impossible to find at a price like this. Italian-wine lovers: act accordingly.

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 14.50%
• 1 hour
• Now – 2030
• % Sangiovese
• Serving temperature – 60°
• Cork