2019 Tenuta Ghiaccio Forte Morellino di Scansano by Castello Romitorio 750 ml

The 2019 Ghiaccio Forte Morellino de Scansano is what you get when you let loose an “Italian Master” in one of the country’s most underrated regions: an enchanting and complex red that comes in at under $20—and will have Brunellos and Chianti Classicos double the price dancing in your head.  

Raised in the seaside Tuscan Maremma (in an area Wine Spectator calls “grape heaven”) and crafted by 100-point legend Carlo Ferrini, the 2019 Ghiaccio Forte swirls with gorgeous Sangiovese purity, expressed in dark red cherry and dried roses. It’s got layers and layers of dark spice, tree bark, and tobacco, giving way to a complex palate of black fruit and sweet spice that eases into a long finish built on stern tannins. 

We are absolutely in love with this striking Tuscan steal, and we’re not the only fans that Ferrini has made with his work at Ghiaccio Forte. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate singled out last year’s edition as a 92+ point “outstanding value,” and having tasted—ok, taken down—multiple bottles, we have a feeling that they’ll be on the same page with this vintage. 

Artist Sandro Chia and winemaker Carlo Ferrini are well known for rescuing Castello Romitorio, located in the Tuscan hills, and restoring it to glory. Lesser known is their work at Ghiaccio Forte in Morellino di Scansano, an area that might not be on the radar of your average wine collector, but has been a magnet for Brunello luminaries. Even Jacopo Biondi Santi landed there after ten years of diligently researching soils, microclimates, and geography. 

What these Brunello-bred Tuscan aces find in Morellino is a place that Wine Enthusiast called “perfectly suited to grape-growing” and Wine Spectator dubbed “grape heaven.” It’s a region that, despite its excellent terroir and winemaking history, hasn’t been dancing under the wine world’s spotlight for centuries like Montalcino or Chianti Classico. 

That’s fine with us, because Morellino wines are absolutely worth top dollar, and can supremely over-deliver for the price. Case in point: Ferrini’s exemplary bottle. Hand-harvested from the sun-kissed hills just miles from the Tyrrhenian Sea, Ferrini ferments the Sangiovese and Cabernet in stainless steel, drawing color from the skins over two weeks. After a year of aging, all in stainless steel, the wine is pure and shining: powerful and long-finishing, with freshness and structure meeting elegant fruit and savory elements. 

This bottle is exactly why Morellino has a reputation for some of the most stellar values in Tuscany. Don’t miss this rare shot at a master’s work—because we don’t know when it will come again.