2021 Argiano - Brunello di Montalcino (750ml)

Argiano is one of Montalcino's oldest estates, with its villa dating to the late 16th century and its history stretching back even further to a mention in a document issued by Ludwig the Pious concerning the transfer of the estate's church to the Abbey of Sant'Antimo. The Pecci family later commissioned the construction of Villa Bellaria on the site during the Renaissance, and in 1967 Argiano became one of the founding estates of the consortium that legally established Brunello di Montalcino. After a period known for a more powerful, internationally styled wine, CEO and winemaker Bernardino Sani, who took the helm in 2012, has worked to restore a more classical sense of elegance, moving aging from small barriques to large French and Slavonian casks and converting the estate to organic farming, certified since 2018.

Argiano's Brunello comes from 100% Sangiovese grown across the estate's 57 hectares in Sant'Angelo in Colle, in Montalcino's southwest, where limestone-rich soils at 270 to 320 meters and cooling breezes off the nearby Tyrrhenian Sea help preserve freshness in an otherwise warm, powerful corner of the appellation. Some of the vines here are as old as 65 years. Following fermentation, the wine ages in large French and Slavonian oak casks rather than small barrique, an approach that favors purity of fruit over overt oak influence.

The wine shows an intense ruby color with a brightening rim, opening with fresh dark cherries, blackberry, and clove. The palate carries hearty, pithy tannin around a juicy core with real tension. It pairs beautifully with beef, venison, or other rich, savory red meat dishes.