A recent glass of Chianti brought back memories of the rise of “Super Tuscan” wines—blends that challenged Italy’s strict winemaking rules and helped reshape the region’s wine industry.

The movement began before the term itself took hold. In Bolgheri, Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta planted Cabernet Sauvignon at Tenuta San Guido and made Sassicaia for his own cellar. Meanwhile, producer Piero Antinori objected to Chianti regulations that restricted the use of international grape varieties and required white grapes in Sangiovese blends.

Antinori defied those rules with the 1971 release of Tignanello. Officials classified it as ordinary table wine, but international critics praised it, helping spark wider interest in unconventional Tuscan blends. By the 1980s, wines such as Ornellaia and Masseto had joined Sassicaia and Tignanello among the region’s most sought-after labels.

Regulations eventually caught up with the changing styles. Tuscany introduced the IGT designation in 1992, giving winemakers more freedom to use international grapes. The Bolgheri DOC followed in 1994, permitting Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Sassicaia later received its own DOC, the only single-estate appellation in Italy.

The original wines remain expensive, but they opened the door for many more affordable blends. Their quality varies, and the phrase “Super Tuscan” was never an official wine category—it began as a catchy description and later became a marketing term. Today, the once-rebellious style has become part of the Tuscan landscape, even as producers continue to take pride in native grapes.

Several producers offer less costly wines alongside their famous bottlings. Antinori’s Santa Cristina Rosso sells for about $15, while Ornellaia’s Le Volte dell’Ornellaia is around $30 and features Merlot. Guado al Tasso’s Il Bruciato blends Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Petrolo’s Sangiovese-led Il Torrione costs about $35.

Other recommendations include Frescobaldi’s Tenuta Perano Chianti Classico Riserva, a Sangiovese and Merlot blend priced at about $25. Avignonesi’s Grifi IGT, made with Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon, is around $33. Its unblended Desiderio IGT Merlot costs about $57, while the winery’s 50&50 IGT—a collaboration with Capannelle—combines equal parts Sangiovese and Merlot.

Côtes du Rhône

The Côtes du Rhône region in southern France stretches along the Rhône River from Montélimar to Arles. Its red wines are typically based on Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, and many offer good value at prices in the teens or low $20s. They are generally ready to drink when purchased; serving them slightly chilled can bring out their fruit.

Three recent tastings included:

• Maison du Midi Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes 2024 ($15): An 80% Grenache blend with Syrah and Mourvèdre, showing strawberry and cherry with soft tannins.
• Olivier Ravoire Côtes du Rhône Banderet 2025 ($15): A Grenache-Syrah blend aged in concrete, with cherry and berry flavors in a somewhat bolder style.
• Gabriel Meffre Saint-Mapalis Plan de Dieu Côtes du Rhône Villages 2024 ($15–$19): The darkest and fullest of the three, with plum, berry and black-pepper notes. It should age well for three to five years.

Wine picks

• Miguel Torres Andica Rosé 2025 ($15): An organic Chilean blend of Pinot Noir and Mourvèdre, with bright red-fruit flavors, fresh acidity and a touch of residual sugar.
• Bricoleur Kick Ranch Vineyard Viognier 2025 ($45): From Sonoma County’s Fountain Grove District, this Viognier offers stone-fruit and honeysuckle aromas, melon, peach and mango flavors, and a crisp, mineral finish.
• Vietti Barbera d’Alba Vigna Scarrone 2023 ($55): A structured single-vineyard Barbera with black cherry, plum, tobacco and anise notes. It pairs well with beef and could benefit from up to a decade of cellaring.