Vallino 2020

We love finding wines with a brilliant “next door” story, but this one might top them all. Vallino is a sumptuous Super Tuscan, bursting with ripe cherry, black currant and toasty spice flavors––and it’s crafted with grapes that grow side-by-side with those used to make the world-famous Sassicaia.

This wine is the pride and joy of the Nuti family, who bought their first plot of land, La Regola, back in 1900. Four generations later, they’re still going strong, earning major acclaim and proving they can hold their own in a category packed with other big contenders.

La Regola lies just up the hill from the vineyards of Tenuta San Guido––home of the aforementioned legendary bottling, the wine that launched the Super Tuscan style and propelled it to global stardom. And all that fame comes with a hefty price tag: Sassicaia regularly sells for $300+ a bottle.

But don’t worry. You won’t pay anywhere near that for Vallino.

Crafted from organically grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese grapes and patiently barrel aged, Vallino is drinking beautifully now and will only continue to develop. On the nose, it’s elegant and complex, with red cherry, black currant, toasty spice and tobacco aromas. The palate offers similar flavors, brimming with dark fruits that lead to a seductively long finish.

All in all, it’s an incredible drinking pleasure—at a fraction of the cost of its famous neighbors.

You simply won’t find a smarter buy in all of Tuscany.