Donatella CC Il Drago e le 8 Colombe Rosso 2018 IGT [JS 92]

James Suckling 92 points. Only 6000 bottles made. WINERY NOTES: 60% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot, 20% Sagrantino In the winery the staff are all women, they are the doves you see on the label. But there is also a dragon represented, it is Carlo Gardini, husband to Donatella Cinelli Colombini, the owner. The Il Drago e le 8 Colombe was produced for the first time in 2005. At that time there were only 7 doves, and then Valérie Lavigne the consulting wine maker who is professor in the Bordeaux University was added. She changed the blend, removing the Alicante and substituted it with Sagrantino. This variety cones from Umbria, the region right next to Tuscany and that begins about 20 km from Fattoria del Colle. All the grapes used for Il Drago e le 8 Colombe are grown on the estate: Sangiovese elegance, Merlot softness and Sagrantino structure. The result is a wine able to be consumed now or to age for up to a decade.