TOM BLACK Frescobaldi WINE You gotta love the world we live in. I had breakfast in Paris last month and attended the Nashville L’Ete du Vin Friends Auction that night. We raised about $400,000 for cancer-related causes and had loads of fun. If you missed it, don’t worry, Nashville has two wine auctions. L’Ete du Vin’s Grand Auction is the oldest and one of the largest wine auctions in America and it is coming up Satur- day, June 24th at the Loews Vanderbilt Plaza. That night, we will raise over $1,000,000 for cancer-related causes and over four hundred wine aficionados will attend from all over the world. This year we are honoring Italian wines—specifically from Tuscany, and even more specifically the Frescobaldi family and their wines. Marchese Leonardo Frescobaldi will be here with his wife, so you don’t want to miss meeting him and enjoying his wines. There’s a good reason the Frescobaldi family has enjoyed prosperity and good fortune for over one thousand years. They enjoy two of Tuscany’s most prized virtues—courage and prudence. They planted some of the first vineyards in Tuscany as early as the 1200’s and are the longest or oldest continuous family producing wine in Italy. Today, they operate nine estates covering more than 1800 acres. So first, a thought about Tuscany and then a thought about Frescobaldi wines. Tuscany is the most famous of all Italian wine regions. When I think of Tuscany, I think of three types of red wine: Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Super Tuscan. The Frescobaldis make all three of these types of wine. Chianti, as I hope you know, is predominantly Sangiovese. In the last twenty years it has come a long way from the jugs of wine covered in straw. There are now world-class wines in this region and there have been several great vintages lately. 2001, 1999, and 1997 have been exceptional. If you haven’t tried Chianti, please do—it usually has flavors of bright cherries with a pleasant mineral finish. Nipozzano Riserva is the Frescobaldi Chianti if you want to try it before the auction. The second wine is Brunello di Montalcino. This is also made with Sangiovese, but it is a very specific variety that is larger and darker. Brunellos are carrying a hefty price tag right now, so choose wisely. Good vintages to look for are 2004, 2001, 1999 (the best), 1998, and 1997. These wines will age well and are best when drunk eight to ten years after purchase. Because they are 100% Sangiovese they have more of the same Chianti flavors, but also many times include licorice, tar, and jam. Castelgiocondo is the Frescobaldi label and is usually highly rated. Finally, there are those crazy Super Tuscans. There is no official DOC, or region, for these wines—they’re made all over Tuscany. However, the sweet spot for these wines is on the coast in a place called Bolgheri. This is where the first Super Tuscan wine was made (1967 Sassicaia). These wines traditionally have Bordeaux varietals such as Caber- net Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot in the mix. Many still include Sangiovese. The Frescobaldi Super Tuscans, Ornellaia and Masseto, are among the best. Masseto is often called “the Petrus of Italy” because it is 100% Merlot. Ornellaia is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. I tasted the 1990 vintage of several of the best Super Tuscans this month with two Master Sommelier candidates, Elise Loehr of F. Scott’s, and Chantelle Pabros of the Ritz Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta, among other knowledgeable Nashvillians (including Will Martin, who has a house in Tuscany). The Ornellaia was the favorite among the experts of the group ( I picked it as second). Masseto and Ornellaia are two truly great wines. The great vintages from Bolgheri are 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2001. These wines will age twenty years or more, so enjoy older vintages now and put some down for later. I hope you’ll come to the Vintner’s Tasting featuring the wines of Frescobaldi on Thursday, June 22nd, 6:00 pm at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown. If you act fast, you may be able to come to the Grand Auction itself on Saturday, June 24th—it sells out each year. You can call Jan Anderson at 615-329-1760 or email her at [email protected]. It’s a rockin’ time and for a good cause. In closing, remember what Dr. Seuss said, “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” .