Founded by the irrepressible Elisabetta Foradori in the quiet, rugged hills of Tuscany’s Maremma region, the wines of Ampeleia have enthralled Vin Chicago shoppers for well over a decade. With Elisabetta's inspiration and support, Foradori is now run by the next generation, and our strong feelings for these expressive wines continue to grow.

Today, we are thrilled to offer you a crack at their "rich, deep and seductive" 2021 flagship red. Made entirely from Cabernet Franc, it has earned 95-Point ratings from multiple sources, and, to summarize things in a single word, is stunning.

We are equally excited to celebrate the return of Ampeleia’s fantastically fun Unlitro. This massively overdelivering, pleasure packed, everyday drinking red is a HUGE staff and customer favorite, packed (you guessed it) in a 1.0 liter bottle! 

Scroll down below to drool over the tasting notes for these Tuscan gems. Or, if the words “Ampeleia” and “Unlitro” already triggered an unquenchable thirst, simply click the Big Green Button now for instant relief! 

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2021 Ampeleia "Ampeleia" Toscana Rosso
Maremma, Tuscany, Italy
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Located in a remote region just south of Bolgheri, Ampeleia’s vineyards are more an extension of their natural surroundings than a break with them.

The grapes for their tiny-production flagship come from pristine, biodynamically farmed vineyards in the Colline Metallifere National Park, which is also a recognized geopark by UNESCO. These are the oldest, highest vineyards at Ampeleia, planted at 450 to 600 meters above sea level, allowing for substantial ventilation.

While the summer turned hot and dry in Maremma during the excellent 2021 vintage, the large diurnal temperature swings of the high elevation Ampeleia vineyards had a cooling effect on the grapes that yielded a wine perfectly balanced between both ripeness and freshness, and overflowing with elegance and complexity.

Read on for the pair of glowing 95-point reviews of this incredible Tuscan treasure...

"The 2021 Ampeleia, 100% Cabernet Franc, is gorgeous. Rich, deep and seductive, the 2021 offers notable textural depth married to the more savory, mineral style favored here. Vineyards at 500-600 meters in elevation help confer freshness that is further amplified by the use of whole clusters. Lavender, mocha, plum, blackberry and gravel are some of the many notes that open over time. What a gorgeous wine this is. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2033.”
         - 95 Points, Vinous - Antonio Galloni (12/2024)

"Earthy notes dominate this wine, with leather, cocoa, dried eucalyptus leaves and restrained bramble fruit. Dense palate with a full body, velvety extracted tannins, intense fruit definition, black olives savoriness, crisp acidity and a muscular finish. Cabernet franc. Best after five or six years.”
        - 95 Points, James Suckling (7/2/2024)

Open a bottle now to enjoy the wine’s youthful vivacity, and hang on to a few more for another 5+ years to allow it to evolve and gain even more complexity. An amazing wine, and a knockout value.

Vin Chicago Price: 39.99

Unlitro is Back!

2022 Ampeleia "Unlitro" Toscana Rosso 2022
Maremma, Tuscany, Italy (1.0-Liter)
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Longtime winemaker Marco Tait and the team at Ampeleia craft wines that are so easy to fall in love with, and it all starts with their charming red blend known simply as “Unlitro.”

Blending organically farmed Alicante Nero (aka Grenache) with Carignano, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese and Alicante Bouschet, they have crafted a magically alive wine that is as tasty as it is playful. The wine sees a quick 2 to 3 days of maceration with the grape skins followed by a brief six months of aging in concrete tanks which preserves the freshness and liveliness that makes Unlitro so easy to fall for.

The 2022 vintage of Unlitro shows off more bright red fruit notes such as tart cherry, red raspberry and pomegranate. Light-yet-notable tannins beautifully complement these flavors and the low 12% ABV allows for joyful consumption. With a slight chill in the fridge, the wine is delicious on its own and a total slam dunk for pizza night. It will also work wonderfully with antipasti and grilled burgers on the patio, something we’re looking forward to as spring hits Chicago.

Check out Antonio Galloni’s mouthwatering tasting notes…

"The 2022 Unlitro offers a beguiling mix of aromatic intensity and a touch more fruit than is often found in this bottling. It's a combination that works so well in filling out some of the layers. Succulent red cherry, spice, tobacco, leather and cedar all build nicely. That added presence of fruit is actually quite welcome here, as it softens some of the contours. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2030.”
         - 90 Points, Vinous - Antonio Galloni (12/2024)

At the equivalent of $13.49 for a 750ml bottle, Unlitro is a perfect all-purpose house red, and our supply always goes fast. You simply can't go wrong here!

Vin Chicago Price: 17.99 (1.0 Liter)