The wines of Tenuta il Palagio, Tuscany, Italy

The wines of Tenuta il Palagio, Tuscany, Italy
Biodynamic wines from Sting's Tuscan estate

Website: www.palagioproducts.com

Il Palagio is the 350 hectare Tuscan estate owned by musician Sting and his wife Trudie Styler.

Sting has assembled a dream team to work his estate, with Alan York giving viticultural advice (the entire estate is run biodynamically), Paolo Caciorgna overseeing the winemaking and terroir expert Pedro Parra helping keep the soils in order.

The estate was in disrepair when they purchased it in 1999, and the vineyards were replanted over the next couple of years. These three wines were just the second release following this replanting activity.

THE WINES

Tenuta Il Palagio When We Dance 2010 Chianti, Italy
13% alcohol. 95% Sangiovese, the balance Canaiolo and Colorino, no oak. Fruity and berryish with cherry pie aromas and some spice. The palate is rounded, fresh and simple with a savoury twist to the sweet cherry and plum fruit. Supple, digestible and balanced. 87/100 (06/12)

Tenuta Il Palagio Casino delle Vie 2009 IGT Toscana, Italy
13.5% alcohol. Aged in used oak. Subtle and warmly spiced with mellow cherry, plum and blackberry fruit. Some grip here with a mineral, spicy dimension, showing strongly savoury characters. Dense but not heavy, hinting at elegance. The red cherry and plum fruit, together with a drying finish, makes it almost Nebbiolo like. 89/100 (06/12)

Tenute Il Palagio Sister Moon 2008 IGT Toscana, Italy
14% alcohol. Sangiovese 40%, Merlot 30%, Cabernet Sauvignon 30%. Properly Tuscan, but elegant with it. Richly aromatic, showing blackberry and plum fruit nose with some subtle tar and gravel notes, as well as a slight balsamic character. The palate is ripe and fresh with some tarry, spicy structure as well as sweet black fruits. Savoury and spicy, but approachable. It's a well structured wine that straddles traditional and modern approaches. 92/100 (06/12)