Argiano : Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015

A fine Tuscan wine with impressive structure and a complex aromatic bouquet   

The estate

From its name, which evokes the Roman god Janus, to a history shared over the centuries with many noble families, the Argiano estate has gracefully passed through the ages and continues to win the hearts of the most discerning wine lovers. Today, Bernardino Sani watches over this precious vineyard, planted mainly with Sangiovese alongside grape varieties typical of Bordeaux, and pays close attention to the mosaic of terroirs that makes up Argiano. To ensure that the vines are listened to and respected, organic and regenerative farming is practised here, and the wines are made in the most natural way possible.

The vineyard

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015 comes from a vineyard located between 280 and 310 metres above sea level in the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG appellation, in the region of Tuscany, Italy. There, vines aged 25 to 60 years sink their roots deep into soils of marl and clay with a high proportion of limestone. To preserve this precious terroir, the Argiano estate uses organic farming techniques such as spurred cordon training and low yields per vine.

The vintage

The 2015 vintage was an excellent year in every respect. The winter was relatively mild, and spring brought below-average temperatures along with good rainfall. A rainy, warm June ushered in a very hot summer. Thanks to the water reserves, the grapes were able to ripen perfectly. The year ended with a mild September, ideal for the harvest.

Vinification and ageing

After hand harvesting at the end of September, the finest Sangiovese berries were brought to the cellar to begin a vinification process of the most natural kind. A cold pre-fermentation maceration was carried out to extract colour and aromatic intensity. The grapes then macerated and fermented on their skins for more than 3 weeks. Malolactic fermentation subsequently took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Finally, the wine was aged for 36 months in 600-litre Slavonian oak casks. This was followed by around 2 years of bottle ageing.

Blend

Sangiovese (100%).

Tasting notes

Nose

The bouquet is powerful and complex, revealing notes of cherry, dried flowers, bark, cloves, toast and mushroom.    

Palate

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2015 is a wine of excellent structure, with elegant, deep tannins. The finish is long and persistent.