Packaged in a medium-heavy glass bottle, the Ruffino 2017 Alauda is 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 10% Colorino. It reveals a darkly concentrated appearance and bold aromas that underline the ripeness of the fruit obtained in this scorching hot vintage. Dried blackberry is followed by shaved pencil, crushed granite and grilled herb. To the palate, this is a full-bodied Tuscan red that flaunts a very contemporary personality.

Released with numbered bottles, the Ruffino 2016 Alauda is a blend of mostly Merlot with Cabernet Franc and Colorino in decreasing order of importance. The wine is only made in the best vintages (and I tasted bottle 1,679 of this one). It opens to an inky dark appearance that is velvety and dense. The fruit is concentrated and rich with dried blackberry, blackcurrant, spice, tar, campfire ash, iron ore and rusty nail. This vintage is compact and tight, yet the long finish adds to the significant volume and depth offered here. Alauda is a modernist wine from a land steeped in traditions.

The 2013 Alauda (with 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Colorino) reveals a dark and penetrating personality. The wine's appearance is darkly saturated and thick. The bouquet is permeated with rich notes of spice, Spanish cedar, campfire ash, blackberry preserves and lots of dark cherry. The finish delivers heavy extraction and extra thickness that weighs it down firmly to the palate. Pair this wine with T-bone steak cooked on the grill with rosemary.

The 2011 Alauda is 45% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot and 10% Colorino that offers many offbeat surprises. This is a top-shelf wine made only in the best vintages. The blend of grapes is very creative and the results will appeal to those who like bold and contemporary Tuscan reds. The bouquet reveals sticky blackberry with barbecue smoke and Teriyaki spice. The mouthfeel is super rich and chewy. It's almost too much of a good thing, yet I would recommend this wine especially if the food pairing is right. A succulent bistecca alla Fiorentina would suit it well.