Gaia & Rey Chardonnay 2020

Spicy and dusty fruit with dark plums, cherries and a hint of asphalt. Firm, juicy and medium-bodied on the palate with a hint of tobacco leaf and olives in a fluid, fruit-expressive finish. Cabernet sauvignon and alicante. Drink now.

This is my first official taste of the new Vermentino Superiore category that was being finalized during my tasting and became official at the end of 2023. The Belguardo Mazzei 2021 Maremma Toscana Vermentino Superiore Belguardo V is a bit closed on

Notes of peach pit, sliced apples, crushed almonds and acacia flowers. Medium-bodied, a little waxy and phenolic with tense acidity and a lingering, slightly tight finish. Has a mineral backbone. Drink now.

Belguardo V is a benchmark white for the Maremma. Launched with the 2008 vintage, it began incorporating 20% of amphora-vinified fruit from the 2016 vintage onwards. Belguardo is owned by the Mazzei family, and president of the Maremma Toscana consorzio,