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2021 Toscana Rosso “Monteleccio”
Sesti![- Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant](https://s3.amazonaws.com/efcheckout/kermitlynch/products/Kermit-Lynch-Wine-Merchant-2021-Toscana-emRossoem-Monteleccio-product-image-7982-medium.jpg)
In talking to Elisa Sesti, and learning about her family’s estate, it quickly becomes clear that daily life on the grounds of Castello di Argiano has carried over from a different time. The dilapidated, medieval castle named after Janus, a Roman god with two faces—one looking to the past, the other to the future—wasn’t an obvious place to settle down when her parents arrived in the 1970s. Locals nicknamed it Arginaccio (“ugly Argiano”) and il Viperaio (“the viper’s den”) after the serpents who took up residence while it lay abandoned. But the Sestis foresaw potential in the property, and a remote paradise in which to build a life.
As their restoration plans advanced, they began planting Sangiovese, which Elisa calls “a primadonna variety” as it requires the attention of a devoted vigneron as well as just the right conditions to thrive. Luckily Argiano finds itself at the center of a privileged microclimate just 30 km from both the sea and mountains (the dormant Monte Amiata volcano), with vineyards protected by a dense forest. In summertime, their southern slopes allow fruit to achieve a balanced ripeness while a refreshing sea breeze aerates and cools down the vineyards. During the winter, these same winds provide hydration and humidity.
In their lineup of world-class Brunellos and Rossos, the IGT Toscana plays an important role: it introduces Sangiovese to uninitiated palates by capturing the grape’s youthful charm, bright acidity, and punchy fruit qualities. The 2021 bottling is earthy, inviting, and zingy, and ready to drink and pair in abundance with Italian classics like tomato pastas and bean stews, or heartier, gamey Tuscan dishes. Farming for the “Monteleccio” is the same as for their Brunellos—they adhere strictly to lunar and planetary cycles to guide them—but the former, which is a selection of declassified Brunello fruit, spends just one year in large botti instead of three.
In the spirit of Janus, for whom the month of January is also named, we’re embracing transition and starting the year right with Sesti’s “Monteleccio,” an apt symbol for new beginnings.
—Jane Augustine
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Sangiovese |
Appellation: | Toscana IGT |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Tuscany |
Producer: | Sesti |
Winemaker: | Elisa Sesti |
Vineyard: | 15 years, 3 ha total IGT |
Soil: | Oceanic Sediment |
Aging: | One year of élevage in 30-hectoliter oak botti |
Farming: | Biodynamic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
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Among the most perfect country wines we carry on our shelves.
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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Kermit once said...
![Kermit inspecting wine barrels](http://s3.amazonaws.com/efcheckout/kermitlynch/content/Kermit-Lynch-Wine-Merchant-Kermit-once-said-image_img_1-13428-medium.jpeg)
Kermit once said...
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.