On a recent trip to Tuscany, I ventured south from Chianti to explore two of the most prestigious wine regions in area, Montalcino, and its value-packed little brother, Montepulciano. As Sonoma is to Napa, so is Montepulciano to Montalcino: a place with fantastic wines, but at price points that are more tolerable and producers that are typically smaller. Both areas are DOCG certified (the highest stamp of approval by the Italian government) and make fantastic wines.

As I pulled up to the winery, I saw a humble sign that noted that this was the place. The sign read "Podere Boscarelli," or the "Boscarelli Farm," a common term used for wineries in this area. While the facilities are humble, the tasting experience was fabulous. For a mere 15 Euros, we got heavy pours and probably the most fabulous charcuterie board that I have ever seen while tasting at a winery. I sat down with my group in the barrel room at a large table along with another group of tourists from England whose jokes and stories enhanced the experience.

Boscarelli is known for high quality wine, and even made the cover of Wine Spectator in October 2015. Boscarelli's bread-and-butter is its standard Vino Nobile di Montepulciano bottling that is made up of 85% Sangiovese, with the rest of the blend consisting of local grapes; Colorino, Canaiolo, and Mammolo. This makes up about half of the winery's production, at a little over 4,000 cases. In addition to several Vino Nobile bottlings, we also sampled a Merlot from the area. All of the wines were very good, but I believe that the basic Vino Nobile hits a home-run for value and tastiness. This bottling is available on several major websites in the U.S., although the price is nearly double what I paid in Tuscany....sigh. If you're ever in Montepulciano, I would encourage you to pay this little winery a visit.