Notify me
2021 Sauvignon
SestiI landed my first restaurant management job as a teenager, and the small chain’s management conference took place at a historic winery in Napa where the waitstaff simply assumed I was of drinking age. At our sumptuous catered lunch in the lush summer vineyard, I was trying to act the proper, knowing adult when we were poured glasses of “Fumé Blanc,” the name coined to differentiate California’s generally oak-tinged effort at Sauvignon Blanc. I practically spun out of my seat, excitedly badgering a colleague to explain this glorious nectar, the first non–Boone’s Farm wine I’d ever tasted. My palate has matured considerably since then, but thankfully I can still be surprised by Sauvignon Blanc.
Grown in all four corners of the earth, it comes in as many styles and flavor profiles as the soils and vintners’ creativity can supply. From the precipitously steep limestone slopes of Italy’s Alto Adige to the pastoral green Loire Valley, these acid-driven, obligingly food-friendly and fruit-forward whites can be your table’s best companion. What other grape has the versatility to pair with raw oysters, fish tacos, ripe and creamy chèvre, or Thai basil fried rice with equal aplomb? Want something stony, smoky, and shatteringly crisp? Check. How about silky, honeyed, and chock-full of sweet/tart fruit? You got it. You know, I believe we might have a perfect Sauvignon Blanc for every occasion.
Sesti’s is soft, pliable, and plush, with aromas of sweet summer nectarines and only 12% alcohol!
—Jennifer Oakes
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Sauvignon Blanc |
Appellation: | Toscana IGT |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Tuscany |
Producer: | Sesti |
Winemaker: | Elisa Sesti |
Vineyard: | 15 years, .5 ha |
Soil: | Oceanic sediment |
Farming: | Biodynamic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 12% |
More from this Producer or Region
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.
2022 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Italy | Tuscany
Bright, intense green with hints of fennel and parsley, a Tuscan treasure
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.
2018 Brunello di Montalcino
Italy | Tuscany
Ample, deep, and succulent, this enthralling Brunello is already highly rewarding.
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.
2017 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.
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.
2017 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
Italy | Tuscany
A decidedly bright, aromatic, almost exotic Chianti, with aromas of black olive, violets, iron, and smoked meat.
2021 Rosso di Montalcino
Italy | Tuscany
This delicious, complex, 100% Sangiovese is drinking beautifully now but can also age for a few more years.
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
2020 Rosso di Montalcino
Ferretti Italy | Tuscany
2018 Toscana Rosso “Brendino”
Cuna Italy | Tuscany
2019 Toscana Rosso
Cuna di Federico Staderini Italy | Tuscany
2017 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva “Phenomena”
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2018 Toscana Rosso
Cuna di Federico Staderini Italy | Tuscany
2022 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2016 Brunello di Montalcino
Ferretti Italy | Tuscany
2018 Chianti Classico Riserva
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2018 Chianti Classico Riserva “Fondatore”
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2014 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
2019 Chianti Classico Riserva
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2017 Chianti Classico
Villa Di Geggiano Italy | Tuscany
2020 Rosso di Montalcino
Ferretti Italy | Tuscany
2018 Toscana Rosso “Brendino”
Cuna Italy | Tuscany
2019 Toscana Rosso
Cuna di Federico Staderini Italy | Tuscany
2017 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva “Phenomena”
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2018 Toscana Rosso
Cuna di Federico Staderini Italy | Tuscany
2022 Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sesti Italy | Tuscany
2016 Brunello di Montalcino
Ferretti Italy | Tuscany
2018 Chianti Classico Riserva
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2018 Chianti Classico Riserva “Fondatore”
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2014 Chianti Classico Riserva “Terrazze”
Castagnoli Italy | Tuscany
2019 Chianti Classico Riserva
Podere Campriano Italy | Tuscany
2017 Chianti Classico
Villa Di Geggiano Italy | Tuscany
Vintage Chart Mentality
Vintage Chart Mentality
Trust the great winemakers, trust the great vineyards. Your wine merchant might even be trustworthy. In the long run, that vintage strip may be the least important guide to quality on your bottle of wine.—Kermit Lynch