The 2006 Scirus is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Malbec. This soft-textured, accessible red reveals good density in its fruit, but not quite as much varietal character as I had hoped. Sweet menthol and spices add a touch of complexity on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2016. Fattoria Le Sorgenti is located in the Chianti Colli Fiorentini appellation, just east of Florence.Importer: Bedford International, Larchmont, NY; tel. (914) 833-2725

The 2001 Scirus, Merlot and Cabernet, with an admirably expansive and spicy black fruit nose with sweet notes of tar and herbs, boasts a concentrated but balanced palate, sizeable but well shaped, round and long, surprisingly deep and sustained for a wine made in a rather northerly part of Tuscany. Drink: 2005-2016. Le Sorgenti is located virtually within the city limits of Florence, in the first hills with a southern exposure towards Chianti, an area where no one had made wine of any ambition previously. But these wines, made with the expert hand of consultant Paolo Caciorgna, have been a most welcome surprise in recent years. Importer: Bedford International, Larchmont, NY; tel. (914) 833-9650

A barrique-aged blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the opaque purple-colored, dense, full-bodied 1999 Scirus exhibits loads of black currants, cedar, fruitcake, licorice, and toasty French oak. Large-framed, with sweet glycerin-imbued fruit, this long, pure, formidable 1999 will age well for 10-12 years. This is a seductive offering from this little known estate. Importer: Bedford Brands International, Larchmont, NY; tel. (914) 833-2725, and a Marc de Grazia Selection, various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300; Vin Divino, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 334-6700; and Estate Wines, Ltd., San Rafael, CA; tel. (415) 492-9411