The 2008 Torrione emerges from the glass with red cherries, plums, leather and tobacco. The wine possesses excellent up-front fleshiness and roundness, but the aromas are already a touch forward and some of the persistence drops off on the finish. My impression is that this will be a relatively early maturing vintage. Sadly, Torrione is no longer the screaming value it once was. Torrione is predominantly Sangiovese, but in 2008 Luca Sanjust gave the wine a little bit more Merlot than is typically the case, plus 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2016. Proprietor Luca Sanjust and his team did a terrific job with these 2008s considering the challenging nature of the year. The summer was cool and damp, which resulted in medium-bodied wines with less of the sheer stuffing of years like 2006 and 2007 but exceptional overall balance. Importer: Vintus LLC, Pleasantville, NJ tel. (914) 769-3000

Torrione (100% Sangiovese from eastern Tuscany) shows impressively bright and clean cherry flavors with background nuances of dark fruit, plum, spice and delicate touches of tobacco and leather. It’s a beautiful wine that shows the best side of this native Italian grape. ——M.L.(4/1/2011)—— 92