Piccini Collezione Privata Toscana IGT Review: When 99 Points Feels Like a Stretch

I recieved this bottle as a birthday present and it made its way into the glass tonight, and this one arrived carrying quite the claim.

A shiny gold sticker proudly announces 99 points from Luca Maroni 🙂

Now, I’ll be honest, I have absolutely no idea how this wine gets anywhere near that number.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good wine. I’ve enjoyed drinking it. But if we’re talking about wines flirting with perfection, this simply isn’t one of them. For me, this sits much closer to the 87 point mark, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

First Impressions

From the first pour, this is very much a fruit led Toscana.

Blackcurrant jumps out immediately on the nose, wrapped in a touch of vanilla from the oak influence. As it opens up, there’s also a savoury, slightly mushroomy character that adds a bit more interest and stops the wine from becoming one-dimensional.

It’s pleasant and inviting, but complexity isn’t the word I’d use.

In the Glass

The palate follows the nose quite closely.

Cherry and blackcurrant lead the way, supported by fresh red fruit that keeps everything bright and approachable. A little spice appears through the mid-palate before the wine settles into a gentle vanilla finish.

What struck me most was how soft the tannins are. They’re present, but there’s very little grip to them. That makes the wine incredibly easy to drink, but it also highlights why I struggle with the 99-point score.

Great wines often reveal themselves in layers. They evolve, surprise you and keep pulling you back for another sip to discover something new. This doesn’t really do that. What you see is largely what you get.

Thankfully, what you get is still enjoyable.

A Surprisingly Good Pizza Match

Tonight this was paired with a simple Margherita pizza, and honestly, that was probably the best thing I could have done with it.

The acidity in the tomato sauce lifted the fruit character beautifully, while the mozzarella softened the wine even further. That slight earthy note I’d picked up on the nose worked nicely alongside the baked crust, creating a pairing that felt effortless.

Neither the food nor the wine tried to dominate the other. They simply worked together.

Final Thoughts

I suspect the 99 point sticker will sell a few bottles, but I can’t help feeling it does the wine a disservice.

This is a good, honest Toscana that delivers plenty of ripe fruit, a touch of savoury character and enough balance to keep you happily reaching for another glass. It’s approachable, easy drinking and pairs well with simple Italian food.

What it isn’t is a wine of extraordinary complexity, structure or depth.

For me, this is an 87 point wine that drinks exactly as an 87 point wine should. And sometimes that’s perfectly enough.