You can find nearly every wine we import in their countries of origin, whether on the shelves of a fine wine shop or the menu at bars, trattorias, and restaurants. After all, as often as we wish we could reserve a winemaker’s entire production, it’s only natural they want to share the fruit of their labor with their compatriots.
     One wine, however, that you cannot find in Italy—despite being made right in the heart of the country—is Sesti’s Monteleccio. When Elisa Sesti and her father Giuseppe used to present this cuvée to Italian wine shops and sommeliers in the past, time and again, the buyers scratched their heads. Declassified Brunello di Montalcino grapes, this delicious and full of character, at this price? What’s the catch? How can we explain this wine to our clients when many classified Rossi di Montalcino are more expensive and not nearly as delicious?
      So what’s the story behind this bottling’s outrageously good rapporto qualità/prezzo (i.e. value)? Two decades ago, in an effort to make an easy and pleasurable gateway wine for those unaccustomed to the rustic charms of Sangiovese, the Sestis split their Rosso di Montalcino into two bottlings: the Monteleccio for a fresher, younger, more succulent glass of wine and the Rosso for more structure, restraint, and ageability. Both over-deliver—the Rosso gives many Brunelli a run for their money—but if you want to taste the full, vibrant, and unleashed magic of young Sangiovese today, don’t miss the Monteleccio. It combines the class of biodynamically farmed, Brunello-quality grapes with the thrill of early and festive drinkability. It’s as well suited to a simple mushroom pizza as it is to your favorite cut of beef.