Carleone 2021 Il Randagio IGT 750ml

The Tenuta di Carleone 2021 Il Randagio is a blend of equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot and shows a cartoon image of a bulldog with a top hat and an eye patch on the front label. You can taste the flavors that come with extended maceration (up to five months in this case, with 40% whole cluster) with grape skins and dried plum. Aged in cement only, this wine shows energy and a bright, punchy personality. It delivers a very authentic or individualistic quality with raw blackberry and cherry. Some 30,000 bottles were made, and this is a great value for a lot of creative winemaking.

Score: 94 points -- Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate, 2023