Podere Forte, Orcia, Villaggio 2021 - 75cl
Villaggio is Podere Forte's village-tier Sangiovese — the purest, most direct expression of the estate, drawn largely from younger vines and made to show the place rather than the barrel. It is 100% Sangiovese from Rocca d'Orcia in the Orcia DOC, the same biodynamic estate in the Val d'Orcia that Pasquale Forte planted in the late 1990s, farmed to Steiner's calendar and vinified with a deliberately light touch.
Spontaneous ferment in French oak vat, malolactic in barrel, then a stretch in wood and bottle before release. 2021 was a fine, classic Tuscan vintage — a cool spring, a warm dry summer, good swings between day and night warmth — the sort of year that gives Sangiovese both concentration and freshness.
This is a savoury, taut wine: red fruit and dried flowers laced with spice on the nose, then a palate that comes in fresh and mineral, with drinkable, slightly rustic tannins and a savoury finish. It has the estate's seriousness scaled down to something you can open on a Tuesday, though it will hold happily for a few years yet.
Think of it as the honest, everyday face of a cult producer — the way to get to know Podere Forte without the top-wine price.
How to Serve
Serve at 16-18°C. Half an hour in a decanter helps it stretch out. An all-purpose red glass is all it needs. Drinking well now and into the late 2020s.
Where to Drink It
Bocca di Lupo for regional Italian cooking. Dandy in Newington Green, for its low-key wine nous. Planque in Haggerston, among bottles of the same spirit.
Food Pairings
Ribollita or a bean-and-kale soup makes a properly Tuscan match. Or grilled sausages with lentils if you want something heartier.
