2017 Fabio Motta Le Gonnare Bolgheri Superiore DOC, Tuscany

From one of my favorite up-and-coming producers in the Bolgheri appellation, the Fabio Motta 2017 Bolgheri Superiore Le Gonnare is mostly Merlot (85%) that has been fleshed out with a small percentage of Syrah. In appearance, the wine is dark, inky and velvety, and the bouquet reveals hearty fruit aromas with plum, dried blackberry, smoke and tobacco. Like the other wines made in this hot and dry vintage, there is some tightness and astringency on the finish that comes with the naturally dense and extracted quality of fruit. You might wait a few years before uncorking this wine with a Fiorentina-type steak. Only 4,000 bottles were released.