Tentua di Biserno @ Grill 23

One of my favorite things about keeping up with this blog is the discovery and opportunity regarding anything new. This includes tasting elegant (and expensive!) Italian wines on a Tuesday evening in an opulent wine room at Grill 23. 

Wine tastings are nothing new around here, neither is the beloved Boston steakhouse Grill 23, but these wines and exposure to the region where they are grown in Tuscany certainly are! A sweet Italian man named Marchese Lodovico Antinori proudly presented to us his latest wine making project; Tenuta di Biserno, a unique blend leading with Cabernet Franc.

The Biserno Estate thrives in Western Tuscany in the coastal area of Upper Maremma among the hills of Bibbona, a small wine village bordering the more famous Bolgheri. The wild, rugged terrain only more recently tamed by winemakers is now home to vineyards and olive groves that stretch down towards the Mediterranean Sea. 

Lodovico decided to plant exclusively Bordeaux with Cabernet Franc in greater percentage - followed by Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and an almost abandoned varietal - Petit Verdot. The estates soil is rich in minerals, silt, alluvial sand and clay - terrifically distinct, complex and produces some truly remarkable wines. Here's a look at the five beauties we tasted paired with an excellent three course meal.

Caesar Salad | brown butter croutons, anchovy marmalade

Il Pino di Biserno 2012 - (SRP $75) intense nose with dark berries and plenty of sweet spicy notes. Concentrated palate with beautiful depth and length.

Il Pino di Biserno 2014  - (SRP $75) notes of red cherries with underlying oak adding spice and complexity. Elegant and harmonious palate with fine round tannins and a long polished finish.

Boneless Ribeye | roasted mushrooms with sherry, confit shallots, sautéed spinach w garlic
Biserno 2012 - (SRP $175) their eponymous wine, only the finest grapes are selected resulting in a thought provoking intensity and complexity with notes of plum and blackberry followed by toasty spice. Elegant palate with fine rounded tannins. 

Biserno 2010 (SRP $175) - deep ruby red, scents of blackberries, freshly ground coffee and licorice. Elegant structure to the palate with fine grained tannins, balanced acidity and a mineral-y feel with a lengthy finish.

Cheese Selection | with cranberry pecan crostini, membrillo, honey comb, black pepper apricot chutney

Chevre Berger du Haut Bearn (Goat) Pyrenees, France / Gruyere Reserve AOC (Cow) Friebourg, Switzerland | Pecorino di Pienza, Gran Reserva (Sheep) Tuscany, Italy 

Lodovico 2011 - (SRP $419) A rare, unexpected assemblage, this wine is all about the full bodied, rich texture and complexity, balanced by a fine acidity. 

Wow, this wine is exceptional. All of them were!

Combining the unique terroir with the cooling influence of the sea, Upper Maremma plays host to some of most famous and celebrated wines of Italy. I felt incredibly lucky to taste Lodovico's wines among a spirited group of wine lovers. 

Grill 23 & Bar

161 Berkeley St

Boston, MA 02116