Argiano Non Confunditor

~ The Road to Argiano ~

Non Confunditor..... 

A wine born in the wake of the Brunellogate scandal,  one whose name loosely translates as The Non-Conformer.   Argiano's "NC" is comprised of various non-native grapes and therefore is a wine made outside the confines of the DOC guidelines.  The name could also be translated from the Latin for "Not Ashamed"  a more caustic tone in light of the accusations made against Argiano in the 2003 scandal.  

We caught up with the recent vintage of Non Confunditor recently.  From one of Tuscany's excellent vintages slowly entering the pipeline,  the 2012 Argiano NC is a dark purple color.  Almost impenetrable.  

On the nose, the wine has aromas of spice, vanilla, mocha and black fruits.   On the palate, the wine is soft and approachable with black plum flavors that are accented with mocha, spice and an essence of buttered popcorn.  The blend here is predominantly Cabernet, with Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese added to the mix.  The result is a rather generic red wine that lacks any sort of typicity or soul.  It's easy going and very drinkable but could just as well be from California or Australia as much as Italy - let alone Tuscany.  If that's your cup of tea, you'll likely enjoy this.  But it's not how I roll.   There are lots of wines at this price range (and many lower) that represent Tuscany with a sense of style and soul.  84 points,  about $22.  

~ The 2012 is a blend of 40% Cabernet, 25% Merlot, 20% Syrah and 15% Sangiovese ~

E Vero!