Carmignano is a very small wine appellation in Tuscany. Its wine is made mainly (about 80%) with Sangiovese grape (again, just like Chianti Classico and Brunello, for example) but here they also blend in about 20% of other international varieties, mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Cabernet Franc. This blending has been going on for hundreds of years, way before it became fashionable to do in so called “Super Tuscans”. So, it really is a “traditional” Tuscan wine.
Tenuta di Capezzana is one of the main producers of Carmignano. This is their flagship wine and you can find old vintages that drink extremely well now. So it is an age-worthy wine that can be cellared and will improve in complexity. All for about $25-$30.
This bottle was impressive. It displayed aromas of strawberry, blueberry, cocoa, and herbs. There are plenty of tannins, but they are smooth, and it has an extremely long finish. Compared to a Chianti Classico, it seems a bit softer, less acidic, and almost with a sweeter finish. I will put aside a couple of bottles for my daughter Isabella (born in 2018) so that we can drink it when she is 18.
Daniele Nardi's website 
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