2004 Gaja Ca'Marcanda Promis

Sangiovese blended with Merlot and Syrah by winemakers who truly know what they're doing makes this wine a Super Tuscan in both the literal and classification senses. This wine, the 2004 Gaja Ca'Marcanda Promis is pretty much everything I look for in an Italian wine. Fruit and spice in the nose, fruit and leather in the taste and smooth on the back end. You can really taste the unmistakable elegance of the sangiovese. I picked this bottle up from Nabil's shop for $35. I know, it's a bit on the pricey end, but this wine is worth every penny for those who are willing to pay for quality Italian reds. All of the tastiness and none of the disappointment that seems to so often accompany Brunellos.

We drank this with pasta in a garlic-cream-tomato sauce (with lots of garlic; I've got Sara tuned to my garlic-needs) and it was a great match-up. I would think almost any pasta will compliment this wine. It was a bit young-tasting and really opened up after the first hour, so I'd recommend buying a case and letting them age over the next five years, tasting them at intervals to track their progress.