2015 Nittardi Ad Astra Toscana Maremma 750 ml

1,000 Years of History—94 Points—Only $25

Golden Tuscan light glows against the rolling hillsides. Nearby, the lapping of the sea works its metronome-like beat into the almost impossibly relaxed rhythm of daily life along Italy’s Tyrrhenian coast. Vineyards and groves of olive trees dot this still relatively forgotten part of Tuscany.

But wine lovers know its name, or at least its wines, which rank among the best in the world: Maremma, along Tuscany’s wild, western coastline is home to bottles that justify car-payment-sized prices and worldwide veneration. Ornellaia, Sassicaia, and Ilatraia, all from Bolgheri. To that list we’d add this gem, the 2015 Nittardi Ad Astra Toscana, a classic Super Tuscan blend from the Maremma that bursts forth with cherries, raspberries, violets, and sage—classic for this venerated land—yet, unlike so many of them, rings in at less than $30.

This was one of those wines that we knew we had to have as soon as we tasted it. In fact, we first came across it at a large trade tasting in San Francisco—not exactly the best place for any wine to stand out in a sea of reds and whites. But this one had everything going for it—history, pedigree, price—and as soon as word got out among our team, we all made sure to get a glass and discuss.

The more we looked into it, the better it got. The Nittardi property itself has roots that date back to 1183, when the wine produced there was referred to as Nectar Dei, or nectar of the gods. In the 1600s, Michelangelo—yes that Michelangelo—owned the estate, and even crafted wine there, ostensibly between painting the Sistine Chapel and carving the David.

Today, the property produces wines whose reputations are growing every year, including their “grand vin,” the Nectar Dei, and this one, the Ad Astra. Its location a mere 8 kilometers from the sea, at a height of 250 meters above sea level, allows a sense of freshness to prevail, and to lift up its effusive fruit and spice characteristics.

In fact, it’s that “fresh and clean finish” preceded by a “fascinating spice and chili character with the blackcurrant fruit” that led James Suckling to award this vintage 94 points. Steven Spurrier even went so far as to call Nittardi “one of my favourite producers.” High praise, indeed.

So while the name of the wine, Ad Astra, is a shortened version of the Latin phrase ad astra per aspera, or “a rough road leads to the stars,” this beautiful 2015 is as easy and pure as it gets. Capable of aging another five years, it’s thoroughly delicious already, and an affordable, transporting evocation of one of the most beautiful places in the world.