Roxanne ... wife of Alexander the Great, the unrequited love of Cyrano de Bergerac and the eponymous subject of one of Sting's earliest and most famous songs. And now a delicious IGT from Tuscany, which is part of the portfolio of widely acclaimed wines produced in Il Palagio.

Roxanne is a blend of mainly Sangiovese with a little bit of Merlot and Syrah. The Merlot and Syrah were harvested by hand at the end of September, followed by the Sangiovese from mid-October. The grapes come from different locations in the provinces of Florence and Siena, at an altitude of around 200 meters. The maceration takes about 10 days, followed by fermentation in temperature controlled tanks in stainless steel for five months and then the wine matures for another 12 months in French oak barrels.

The Roxanne has a deep ruby red color in the glass. In the nose Intense and fruity notes of ripe red fruit and sweet spices. Strong personality, harmonious structure and well-complexed tannins, with a long finish. With a complex aroma of cherries, wild blackberries and herbs, this is a versatile and very drinkable wine suitable to complement many dishes. The wine is a good accompaniment of red meat, spiced pecorino cheese and a Fiorentina steak.

93/100 James Suckling