StickyBeak Toscana – A Light, Tuscan Sangiovese

When I saw the name of this wine, it immediately made me think of Australia.  And it turns out that the name StickyBeak is an Australian wine term.  But StickyBeak wine is not from Australia.  Most wine under this brand comes from California, except for this one which is from the Tuscany region in Italy.

The producers of this wine do have a connection to Australia as importers of Australian wines.  The StickyBeak name is a reference to them being “nosy neighbors” who can’t resist sticking their noses into different vineyards to see what others are doing.  Which they eventually transformed into producing wines that allowed them to experiment with what they see around them.  They refer to themselves as “inquisitive vintners.”

Their Tuscan wine is made of primarily sangiovese, one of my favorite varieties from the region.  The exact blend is 85% sangiovese, 10% merlot and 5% syrah.

The aromatics from this wine make it clear that this is a sangiovese-based wine. Bright cherry and floral aromatics dominate the nose, which also reveals some raspberry and vanilla aromas. The palate is a bit thin on body. It has good flavors, like cherry, raspberry, coffee and spice, but there isn’t much depth to those flavors. The acidity is sufficient and soft tannins add some silkiness to the mouthfeel. And the finish is relatively long, with tart cherry flavors. If you like lighter wines, you may enjoy this one. But I found myself wishing it had a touch more depth.  Still it’s tasty.

Wine: StickyBeak Toscana
Variety: 85% sangiovese, 10% merlot and 5% syrah
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 85
Price: $20.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.

Find StickyBeak Toscana with Snooth