Bivio Tuscan Red

Grapes: Sangiovese (65 percent), cabernet sauvignon (20 percent), merlot (15 percent)

Region: Tuscany, Italy

Vintage: 2006

Price: $13.99

In the glass: Bivio is a deep, semi-opaque crimson-red color with a fine ruby-red core going out into a pinkish rim definition with high viscosity.

On the nose: There is immediate warm, ripe cherry fruit coming at you with cordial-laced milk chocolate, violet pastilles, red flowers and a touch of spiciness. The wine is attractive, and continues to show wonderful red fruits with underlying hints of gravel and herbs.

On the palate: The wine is powerful in the mouth and coats the palate with forward, high-tone red cherry fruit, crushed cranberries, red currants, bright acidity on account of its youth and nice layers of minerals. The midpalate is dominated by bright red fruit and, despite the intense mouth-feel from the combination of acidity and tannins, it has real power and length on the finish. It gives a mental image of a well-made wine from particularly sangiovese on account of that nice pitch at the end.

Odds and ends: Sangiovese is the classic grape varietal in Chianti, Tuscany, but in the past couple of decades wineries have used “international varietals,” to create so-called Super Tuscan wines. The blends, like Bivio, involve mostly French grape varietals. For that reason, the wine is classified IGT. This wine is considered a “baby” Super Tuscan, and is nicely priced. Drink it now through 2012, and try it with traditional osso buco.

Gil Lempert-Schwarz’s wine column appears Wednesdays. Write him at P.O. Box 50749, Henderson, NV 89016-0749, or e-mail him at gil@winevegas.com.