WTN: Ruffino Fonte al Sole 2003

Tuscany.

A blend of 85 per cent Sangiovese and 15 per cent Merlot.

Good, dark red color.

Spicy, cherry and chocolate on a creamy nose.

Lots of leather and smoke at first, but that soon subsided, revealing a rather thick and hefty weight, black cherry, moderate acidity, chocolate, very smooth and plush, vanilla, Christmas cake spices.

A rather impressive wine for $13.15 (Canadian).

Hm, the leather and smoke sounds good...then you mentioned the dread "V-word" (Vanilla).

I've tried Ruffino's Chiantis and found them okay. A Sangi-Merlot blend m,ight be interesting.