Avignonesi Cantaloro Rosso Toscana 2024

Avignonesi Cantaloro 2024, the supple Tuscan red

In the glass, the Cantaloro Rosso Toscana 2024 plays the card of ripe fruit and balance, without trying to impress with power. I love its approachable profile: cherries and raspberries, a touch of Mediterranean herbs, then soft tannins that leave the palate clean and welcoming. It's a red to share, at ease both around a meal and at a casual evening.

A blend from Avignonesi, between Cortona and Montepulciano

This wine is made by Avignonesi, a Tuscan estate whose vineyards spread over nearly 200 hectares in the Montepulciano and Cortona areas. This location brings together a diversity of soils and allows the estate to offer several expressions of the Tuscan wine landscape. The Cantaloro carries the IGP Rosso Toscana designation: a regional indication that here accompanies a blend of red grape varieties and a deliberately approachable style.

Sangiovese makes up half of the blend, at 50%, complemented by 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Merlot. Canaiolo and Syrah each contribute 1%. Avignonesi works its grapes according to organic and biodynamic practices, with an approach attentive to biodiversity and without the use of herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers, according to the available information. The cuvée is also vegan. In the cellar, the destemmed grapes macerate with their skins for 15 to 18 days at controlled temperature, before a fermentation carried out with selected yeasts. The wine then ages 18 months in barrels and stainless steel tanks: an aging that combines wood and steel, without erasing the fruity character described for this vintage.

Its bright ruby red color announces a lively wine. The nose opens on intense notes of red fruit, notably cherry and raspberry, enhanced by a hint of Mediterranean herbs that brings freshness. On the palate, the texture is round and the balance is well present. The tannins remain soft and integrated, while the flavors of ripe fruit lead to a persistent finish, marked by spices. What I mainly remember is the pleasant contrast between the suppleness of the material and this more spiced conclusion: the Cantaloro keeps its momentum without becoming austere. Its fruity and enveloping profile invites you to serve it at the table, without waiting for a special occasion.

At the table, with cured meats and meats

I would pair it with a platter of cured meats, aged cheeses, or red meat, dishes that echo its fruit and soft tannins. Game is also among the suggestions that suit this cuvée. For a simple meal, you can start with a few slices of salumi and follow with a cut of meat: the wine accompanies these flavors without demanding an elaborate dish. Save it for a convivial dinner, or simply open it when you crave an accessible, fruity Tuscan red with a spicy finish.