While staying overnight at Old Harbor Inn in Chatham on Cape Cod, I returned for my third visit to Buca's Tuscan Roadhouse in nearby Harwich. I was on vacation after all, so I decided to spring for a generously-sized glass of Tignanello at $33 (a glass of a Brunello was $20.)
2011 Tignanello. I had a delicious appetizer of artichoke stuffed with Gorgonzola and mascarpone and wrapped in toasted prosciutto with red bell pepper strips. Just had a sip or two of the wine until the entrée came out--boar-meat Bolognese with tagliatelle and pecorino cheese (I am not checking the spellings so may have misspelled some of the Italian names.) The Bolgnese was good but I think I like the veal piccata from previous visits better.
In the dim lighting, I can't say much about the color of the Tignanello except that it look purplish. The nose suggested red currants to me, but the palate was more suggestive of darker currants and blackberries. The wine speaks of its origins and the earth while still delivering an elegant profile. Soft tannins marked the finish. For a young super Tuscan, it was drinking well. This was in mid-May and while the peak of pollen season may have passed in North Carolina, it was in full bloom on Cape Cod. A sniffling nose made fine distinctions about the wine nearly impossible. I enjoyed it as I have every time I've sampled a Tignanello.