The 2012 Marzieno is a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. All the fruit comes from traditional alberello or bush-trained vines. Some 6,000 bottles were made. This is a carefully blended red that shows the tartness and freshness of Sangiovese, with the heavier dark fruit and spice aromas of the international grapes. These are extremely complementary choices, and the wine shows a range of flavors and enough textural richness to pair with oven-roasted lasagna with béchamel and meat sauce.

The 2002 Marzieno is a successful effort for this damp, dank vintage with its well fused red and blackberry fruit, light oak and minerals, and satisfying length. Though there a few tannins to lose, I would opt for drinking the wine reasonably soon – I have many doubts about the potential for improvement of the wines of the vintage. I occasionally wonder if I should write about the wines of Cristina Geminani, the owner-winemaker of this estate, one of the most talented women in Italian wine. It is not so much for the fact that I have known her for close to twenty years, but due to the close working relationship I once had with her husband Alessandro Masnaghetti, a former nuclear engineer who has become one of Italy’s most serious and informed writers on wine. But I don’t think I have any problems of objectivity in this case, and about the quality of the wines there is little to discuss – this is the leading estate in Emilia-Romagna, has been so for fifteen years, and it cannot be ignored. Importer: A Christopher Cannan Selection, various American importers including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300 and Diamond Wine Merchants, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 567-9897

The 2001 Marzieno will remind many of the better Sangiovese/Cabernet blends of Tuscany in its sweet plum and black currant fruit, light notes of vanilla, cinnamon, and Mediterranean herbs, and full, balanced, and harmonious flavors. Drink: 2005-2015. Importer: A Christopher Cannan Selection, various American importers including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300 and Diamond Wine Merchants, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 567-9897