A 50-50 blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Madre is a fun wine and one that I readily recommend, especially for pasta night with the family at the kitchen table. This is a medium to full-bodied red with lots of pretty layering of dark fruit, spice, tar and cured leather. The wine is never too savory or spicy, and in fact, it makes terrific use of its natural primary intensity. It also shows good richness and a smooth entry to the palate. It ages in French tonneaux for 24 months, and 5,000 bottles were released.

This is a blend of equal parts Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2016 Madre most definitely benefits from extra oxygen (I tasted the wine at different intervals after I had first opened the bottle). It's still a bit tight and nervous at this young stage of its life, and this of course bodes well for the aging future of the wine. In fact, I recommend you wait a year or two before pulling the cork. This is a cool and elegant vintage that delivers sharp lines of blue and blackberry fruit with subtle tones of spice and underbrush. The acidity is noticeable, and the wine offers tart fruit nuances on the close. Give it time to unwind in the glass. Some 5,000 bottles were made, and this vintage was released in August 2019.