2015 Podere La Pace Black Label Maremma Toscana Rosso Italy 750 ml

We jockeyed to be the exclusive U.S. importer of this “sensational” Super Tuscan the moment we tasted it on the Tuscan coast a couple of years ago. We had no idea the 2015 Podere La Pace Black Label would go on to earn a 94-point score, making our 60% discount off its $75 winery price all the more delicious.

Five years of age have been good to this 2015 Black Label, which earns its jazzy name as a gorgeous Right Bank Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. Aromas of juicy black cherry and roasted coffee mingle with earthy savory notes that James Suckling described as “enticing.”

The dark cherry continues on the palate, with dried cranberry laced with baking spice, mint, and toasted oak. A few swirls of the glass unlock classic secondary notes of smoked meat, espresso, graphite, tar, and licorice. With bold, ample tannins adding impressive structure to the spice-laden finish, this will captivate any fan of Bordeaux or Napa Cabernet.

Located just south of Bolgheri, the Maremma DOC—a fast-rising star on the Italian wine scene—is Italy's Wild West. The flexibility of this appellation’s wine regulations makes it stand apart from Tuscany’s other marquee regions, and the area is becoming an experimental playground for producers like Podere La Pace. That’s why top Super Tuscans from this coastal hotbed often cost a fraction the price of their Bolgheri doppelgängers, despite scoring as high as the $100+ classics.

The region looked anything but wild as we breezed down the Tuscan coastline to visit Podere La Pace. The white sandy beaches, umbrella pines, strawberry bushes, oak trees, and heather that dotted the landscape finally gave way to classic Tuscan rolling hills covered in olive trees—and ultimately to our magnificent vineyard destination.

Just a ten-minute drive inland from the stunning azure waters of the Gulf of Follonica, the third-generation vintner Simone Maggioni credits Podere La Pace’s proximity to the Mediterranean Sea—and its blessings of sun, sand, clay, and sea breeze—for the estate’s unique ability to cultivate high-caliber international Bordeaux varieties that transcend borders (and our expectations).

An intricate and polished blend, Simone made Black Label as a tribute to his equally complex and stylish father, ageing it for twelve months in French oak barrels before another full year in bottle.

After just a few heady sips of his Black Label red, we inked an exclusive deal right there on the spot—and our haste proved prescient: The wine’s well-deserved press made this an even sounder investment than we’d anticipated, especially given its $75 winery price.

At our $30 exclusive, we’d brave that “wild” Maremma terrain all over again if we could. Unfortunately, once our U.S. allocation is gone it’s gone for good, so don’t miss out on our 60% discount on this truly “sensational” 94-point Super Tuscan bargain.