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2011 Brunello di Montalcino
SestiStart with its deep, luscious nose. The wine is savory, thick, juicy, wonderfully saucy, almost truffly, with a sensation of freshly turned earth. In my notes taken while tasting it for the first time in April at the Castello di Argiano, Sesti’s hilltop estate, I compared it to a vinous ragù that has been cooked down for a long time with tomatoes and herbs. “Drink with pasta as if sauce,” I wrote. (You should probably still include the pasta sauce.) It also possesses a lovely tannin that is fine and thirst-enhancing with zero aggression.
There are so many Brunelli out there to choose from these days. We think this is one of the very best, and it never disappoints. Proprietor Giuseppe Sesti, an astronomer from Venice who has been deeply involved in his own blend of organic/biodynamic/cosmic viticulture ever since he purchased his estate in the seventies, explained the secret of his land to me recently: “The ancients talked of the aria buona di Argiano [good air of Argiano]. The castello is perched on a promontory surrounded by two valleys that channel cooling winds from the Mediterranean up to the vineyards, keeping the vines cool throughout the summer despite the sometimes scorching heat.” This is one of the most important keys to the perennial freshness of Sesti’s Brunello: with wine—as in real estate—location, location, location. –Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2011 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Sangiovese |
Appellation: | Rosso di Montalcino |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Tuscany |
Producer: | Sesti |
Vineyard: | 20 years, 3.9 ha total Brunello |
Soil: | Oceanic Sediment |
Aging: | Thirty-nine months of élevage in 30-hectoliter oak botti |
Farming: | Sustainable |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2017 Brunello di Montalcino
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The regal perfume is both sweet and savory, with ripe berry fruit accented by balmy herbs and earthy wafts of incense.
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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.
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Ample, deep, and succulent, this enthralling Brunello is already highly rewarding.
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All the depth, concentration, and intensity imaginable are densely packed into a tight, firm, chewy package.
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A remarkable bottle of Sangiovese: complex, succulent, and slightly savory, with notes of red fruit, spices, and earth, and a long finish.
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This delicious, complex, 100% Sangiovese is drinking beautifully now but can also age for a few more years.
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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.
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.
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2021 Toscana Rosso “Bandinello”
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2017 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
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2016 Brunello di Montalcino
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2017 Brunello di Montalcino
Ferretti Italy | Tuscany
2017 Brunello di Montalcino
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2018 Toscana Rosso
Cuna di Federico Staderini Italy | Tuscany
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2012 Brunello Riserva “Phenomena” MAGNUM
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Our Guarantee
Our Guarantee
We only import wine we drink and enjoy ourselves, directly from the source.
Our wine tastes the same in your home as it did where it was bottled in Europe.
Like the long-term relationships we build with growers, we build long-term relationships with our clients. Have a question? Need wine advice? Just give us a call—510-524-1524.