Ruffino Modus 2012 Wine Review

Ruffino Modus 2012

Tuscany I.G.T., Italy

Community Score:92/100

Community Reviews: 22

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Price: $32.95

Drink: 2015-2021

Bottle size: 750 ml

Alcohol: 13.5%

Sweetness: Extra Dry

Wine Type: Red Wine

Winery: Ruffino

Agent: Arterra Wines Canada Inc.

Natalie's Score: 94/100

The 2012 vintage of this rich, full-bodied Italian red wine is a blend of 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot grapes. The vines are planted primarily in the vineyards of Ruffino's estates of Poggio Casciano and Santedame, which is hilly clay rich in fossil fragments. The wine undergoes a malolactic fermentation and a post-fermentative maceration on the skins for 2 weeks to add richness and depth. It's then aged for 12 months in first, second and third use American and French 225 litre oak barrels. This Super Tuscan is worthy of your attention, from its ruby-violet gem glints in the glass to its finish as long as a Tuscan country road. It delivers an intense bouquet of black cherry, plum, graphite, dried tobacco leaves and dark spice. This robust red wine has remarkably polished tannins that yield to a supple, smooth texture. Incredible concentration and flavour at such a reasonable level of alcohol. Pair with truffle-inflected dishes and grilled meats.

Food pairings: pork tenderloin, grilled chicken, autumn hodge-podge.

Best Beef Wine

This Ruffino Modus 2012 was reviewed on July 6, 2017 by Natalie MacLean

More Vintages: 2019 2018 2017 2016 2014

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Pricing & Stock Information

LCBO
912956
$32.95
Check Stock

SAQ
11442664
Check Stock

ANBL
3636
$25.99
Check Stock

Reviews and Ratings

Cherie Cole rated this wine as 94/100 with the following review:

This opulent Super Tuscan should have a place in everyone's cellar. Full-bodied with chewy tannins, this wine is bursting with black cherry and juicy plum flavors, complemented by smoky oak and violet. This big, juicy wine deserves to be paired with a big juicy steak.

Courtney Flood rated this wine as 94/100 with the following review:

Powerful super Tuscan, amazing quality at a great price point. Intense juicy cherry, blackberry, and raspberry with a herbal perfume of eucalyptus and mint. A fantastic gift for holiday or host!

Jane Staples - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 94/100 with the following review:

Modus 2012 is a Friday night kind of wine. It's a "Come on over and we'll talk" kind of wine.
Complex, spicy and savoury with mouth-watering acidity. Get out the nuts, the olives and the hard cheese. If you're feeling inspired, you might cook dinner as you sip it. But really, this is a sit down and talk wine, for good friends to share. You'd better buy more than one bottle!

Tania Thomas - CSW, WSET ADV rated this wine as 94/100 with the following review:

From Ruffino's estate vineyards, comes this intense, rich and powerful Super Tuscan. A juicy and robust blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauv and Merlot grapes, it seduces with aromas and flavours of big, dark fruit; ripe black cherries and plums. Complex, fleshy and generous with big, bold tannins and hints of a cigar box. Closes in a smooth, lingering, smoke-tinged finish. Fantastic with grilled meats and slow-cooked winter roasts.

Monique Sosa - Accredited Sommelier rated this wine as 93/100 with the following review:

Just incredible! This wine oozes elegance and finesse. The aromas and flavours are immensely complex with layers upon layers of blackberry, cherry, leather, dark chocolate, toasted oak, and savoury notes (sage and fresh mint). The mouthfeel is velvety smooth with well structured fruit flavours, acidity (medium +) and tannins (medium -) and a long mouthwatering finish. This is an outstanding example of a Super Tuscan blend at a steal of a price! Enjoy with braised brisket, osso buco or a medium-rare tenderloin roast.
Tasted October 2015.

Craig Kuziemsky rated this wine as 93/100 with the following review:

A wonderfully complex wine with cherry, oak and mint aromas leading into rich cherry, plum, cigar box and chocolate on the palate. The finish offers smoky notes with smooth tannins. Pair with Italian cuisine or grilled beef.

Rachelle O'Connor rated this wine as 93/100 with the following review:

A brilliant example of a Super Tuscan at its finest. Dark, dark ruby in color, complex and silky at at the same time. A blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, there is evidence on the palate of leather, expensive cigars, dark chocolate, spice and black licorice. Thinking spaghetti with a jumbo meatball. It is truly delicious.

Andrew Bernardo rated this wine as 93/100 with the following review:

I bought this wine in Calgary this Summer to enjoy with friends. We may have opened too soon but is is nice to see how much quality and consistency rests in the bottle year after year. The 2012 features black currants, black cherries, olive pit, dried herbs, bread crust, and a faint hint of orangey citrus. It packs a punch, but not as much as the 2007. 93 Points. (ottawawinejournal.com)

Matt Steeves - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 93/100 with the following review:

Each vintage Modus continues to solidify its place in the fine wine world continuing to earn the reputation of an iconic Super Tuscan which is impressive given it’s only a fraction of the cost of its storied peers. The 2012 is a blend of 50% Sangiovese, with 25% of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that shows juicy layers of dark fruits, plum, spice, leather, and cigar box. Great depth of flavour, texture, and structure make it ideally suited for enjoying now with rich Osso Buco or hanger steak with bagna cauda pan sauce; it’s also an ideal candidate to cellar for up to a decade to enjoy its evolution. Ruffino’s Modus is an exceptionally value priced Super Tuscan that I'd highly recommend buying by the case. Tasted June 2015. 93 points. Matt Steeves - www.quercusvino.ca

Douglas McMillan rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

A bold super-Tuscan with depth and complexity. Aromas abound with mint, India ink, blackberry, leather, baking spices, black cherry and graphite. It's big and juicy on the palate with black cherry and cassis, and nice round tannins. Despite the price, this wine is a great value and has some ageing potential, assuming you can hold off drinking it.

Jon Steeves - Sommelier rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

Ruffino Modus 2012 vintage shows as a big, bold, juicy Super Tuscan. This wine was made with tender love and care, hand harvested grapes (25% Merlot - August, 25% Cabernet Sauv - September, 50% Sangiovese - October) and this love carries through on the palate. Each varietal was vinified separately in stainless, then blended and aged for 12 months in French and American oak casks and bottle aged for 6 months before release. 14% ABV. Rich, silky smooth, concentrated, well integrated components. Prominent notes of cherry, plum, blackberry, mint and a hint of leather. Ruffino has built another well balanced Super Tuscan which pairs exceptionally well with robust bold dishes such as braised Osso Buco, charred BBQ steaks. Enjoy 2015-2025.

Sean O'Regan - Certified Sommelier rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

Deep ruby, fragrant nose with red and black fruit, toasty oak, smoke and spice. Rich and full on the palate with almost jammy berry fruit, toasty oak and dark chocolate with some herb. Approachable now, but should improve in the cellar for a few years to better integrate. Drink over the next 5+ years. This is a great value in the Super Tuscan category.
Tasted Oct 2015 at Ruffino wine tasting dinner.

Terry Jeans - Certified S rated this wine as 92/100 with the following review:

This is another terrific example of the Super Tuscan style from Ruffino. It is a rich, full-bodied wine with complex aromas of red ripe fruit, vanilla, mint, anise, eucalyptus and mocha. Sounds like a delicious dessert, but this a complex, high acid, food-friendly wine that punches well above it's weight. Very drinkable right now or could keep for another 5-10 years to soften the tannins.
Tasted- October, 2015

Stephan Abraitis rated this wine as 92/100

Sandro Borghesi rated this wine as 90/100

Heather Wall - CS; WSET Advanced reviewed this wine as follows:

We actually tasted the 2011 at our Vintages media pre-release tasting. This Super Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot has become quite an icon. Modus is a much sought after wine at the LCBO selling out as soon as it hits the shelves. This full-bodied red wine blend is an inky deep ruby colour in the glass. The youthful tannins smooth as the wine opens up in the glass. Suggest decanting. Aromas and flavours include black cherry, plum, mocha, leather, cigar box, oak, pencil shavings. The acidity is medium+ and balanced. Drinking nicely now but has potential to age. Enjoy with hearty meat dishes, braised lamb or beef, spaghetti with meat sauce.
Tasted: June 2015

4 Members would buy this wine again

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Ruffino Modus 2012 Wine Review

Natalie's Score: 94/100

Pricing & Stock Information

Reviews and Ratings