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2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva “Phenomena”
SestiBefore becoming one of Italy’s legendary wines, Brunello was a rarity produced only by a handful of families in the rural hills of southern Tuscany. By the time Giuseppe and Sarah Sesti moved to the area in 1975, word had begun to spread about the noble local red. One of few English speakers in the area, Giuseppe volunteered his services to help translate for visiting journalists and sommeliers, consequently spending many hours in the cellars of the appellation’s pioneering producers.
Twenty years later, the couple had planted their own vineyard on the perfectly exposed, well-ventilated slopes surrounding their home. The time had come to apply the knowledge Giuseppe gleaned from those artisans responsible for forging Brunello di Montalcino’s reputation.
Tasting the Sestis’ 2012 Riserva, one is tempted to imagine this is how the historic wines from Montalcino’s early days might have tasted. It is a hauntingly fragrant Brunello whose raw power takes a back seat to utter delicacy and grace.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2012 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Sangiovese |
Appellation: | Brunello di Montalcino |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Tuscany |
Producer: | Sesti |
Vineyard: | 20 years old |
Soil: | Oceanic sediment |
Farming: | Biodynamic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
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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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Bright, intense green with hints of fennel and parsley, a Tuscan treasure
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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2014 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
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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