Notify me
2021 Rosso di Montalcino
SestiWhen the Venetian Giuseppe Maria Sesti and his Welsh wife Sarah moved to Tuscany in the 1970s, they purchased the abandoned ruins of the hamlet and castle of Argiano. In the ensuing years, they cleared the overgrown land and restored the buildings, reviving, in all its glory, this magnificent estate. In a way, it’s unfathomable that such a stunning castle perched up on a hill and the surrounding woodland could have fallen into such neglect. But the abandonment also turned out to be a blessing, as the slopes the Sestis eventually planted to vines were home to a relatively untouched and thriving ecosystem, rich with native plant and animal life. And fortunately for the health of the soil and ecosystem, Giuseppe was exactly the right person to take over this slice of paradise. His background as an astronomer not only gave him a naturalist bent and a healthy skepticism of chemical treatment in the vines, but also allowed him to apply his knowledge of the moon’s influence on living things to his vineyard management and practices in the cellar—a methodology that is increasingly common today. In recent years, his daughter Elisa has overseen the domaine with the same ethos, pampering her hectares of organically and biodynamically grown Sangiovese vines as meticulously as if she were tending a backyard garden. This Rosso di Montalcino stands as a gorgeous testament to the health and quality of the Sangiovese grapes, delivering concentration alongside freshness and elegance, and fragrant notes of black cherries, mint, and tea.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Sangiovese |
Appellation: | Rosso di Montalcino |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Tuscany |
Producer: | Sesti |
Vineyard: | 15 years, 2 ha total Brunello |
Soil: | Oceanic Sediment |
Aging: | Eighteen months of élevage in 30-hectoliter oak botti, two months of bottle aging before release |
Farming: | Biodynamic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2018 Chianti Classico Riserva
Italy | Tuscany
Perennially Campriano’s bottling with the most irresistible, terroir-reminiscent notes of earth and undergrowth.
2014 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
Italy | Tuscany
This Chianti boasts notable finesse and aromatic lift, proving what Sangiovese is capable of when planted in a great site.
2018 Toscana Rosso “Brendino”
Italy | Tuscany
By planting Pinot Nero in limestone at high elevation, he has found an unlikely home for the grape, yielding a singular rosso that is anything but international in style.
2012 Brunello Riserva “Phenomena” MAGNUM
Italy | Tuscany
The Riserva is rich and savory, with intense flavors; bright, tightly wound mid-palate; vigorously youthful. It will continue to improve with more time in bottle.
2016 Brunello di Montalcino
Italy | Tuscany
A remarkable bottle of Sangiovese: complex, succulent, and slightly savory, with notes of red fruit, spices, and earth, and a long finish.
2019 Toscana Rosso
Italy | Tuscany
Wow, this wine is delicious! 100% Pinot Noir from Tuscany of all places. Supple and complex and very enjoyable now, it is a wonderful blend of the best of Burgundy and Tuscany.
2017 Brunello di Montalcino
Italy | Tuscany
The regal perfume is both sweet and savory, with ripe berry fruit accented by balmy herbs and earthy wafts of incense.
2022 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Italy | Tuscany
Bright, intense green with hints of fennel and parsley, a Tuscan treasure
2018 Brunello di Montalcino
Italy | Tuscany
Ample, deep, and succulent, this enthralling Brunello is already highly rewarding.
2017 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva “Phenomena”
Italy | Tuscany
All the depth, concentration, and intensity imaginable are densely packed into a tight, firm, chewy package.
About The Producer
Sesti
About The Region
Tuscany
Perhaps no region is tied to Italy’s reputation as a producer of fine wine as much as Tuscany. Since Etruscan times, viticulture has played a prominent role in this idyllic land of rolling hills, and the Tuscan winemaking tradition remains as strong as ever today. With a favorable Mediterranean climate, an undulating topography offering countless altitudes and expositions, and a wealth of poor, well-draining soils, conditions are ideal for crafting high-quality wines. Add to that the rich gastronomical tradition—Tuscany is home to some of the country’s finest game, pastas, salumi, and cheeses—and you have the blueprint for a world-class wine region.
This is Sangiovese territory; in fact, it is arguably the only place in the world where Sangiovese reaches a truly regal expression. In spite of a rocky history with fluctuations in quality, traditionally produced Chianti has reclaimed its status as one of the country’s most reliable, food-friendly reds, while the rapid rise of Brunello di Montalcino shows the grape’s potential for grandiose, opulent reds allying power and finesse. Traditionally-minded growers have stuck to using only indigenous grape varieties and employing techniques like aging in massive wooden casks known as botti, creating wines of terroir that shine at the Tuscan table.
Tuscan wines have had a place in our portfolio since Kermit’s first visit in 1977. While the names of the estates have changed, the spirit of those first unfiltered Chiantis he imported live on through our current selections.
More from Tuscany or Italy
2017 Chianti Classico
Villa Di Geggiano Italy | Tuscany
2017 Brunello di Montalcino
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2022 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2020 Rosso di Montalcino
Ferretti Italy | Tuscany
2017 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
2016 Brunello di Montalcino
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2017 Toscana Rosso
Cuna di Federico Staderini Italy | Tuscany
2019 Chianti Classico
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2018 Chianti Classico Riserva “Fondatore”
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2015 Alta Valle Della Greve “80”
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2021 Toscana Rosso “Bandinello”
Villa di Geggiano Italy | Tuscany
2014 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
2017 Chianti Classico
Villa Di Geggiano Italy | Tuscany
2017 Brunello di Montalcino
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2022 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2020 Rosso di Montalcino
Ferretti Italy | Tuscany
2017 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
2016 Brunello di Montalcino
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2017 Toscana Rosso
Cuna di Federico Staderini Italy | Tuscany
2019 Chianti Classico
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2018 Chianti Classico Riserva “Fondatore”
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2015 Alta Valle Della Greve “80”
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2021 Toscana Rosso “Bandinello”
Villa di Geggiano Italy | Tuscany
2014 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171