2017 Sesti Monteleccio Toscana IGT is sold out.

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A Legendary Importer’s Italian Standout

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    2017 Sesti Monteleccio Toscana IGT 750 ml

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    • Curated by unrivaled experts
    • Choose your delivery date
    • Temperature controlled shipping options
    • Get credited back if a wine fails to impress

    A Classic Value That’s Pure Montalcino

    It’s hard to think of another under-$30 Sangiovese that delivers this level of raw deliciousness and intellectual intrigue. 

    Exceptionally detailed and refined, Sesti’s Monteleccio is a Brunello in all but name: An approachable yet aristocratic red that combines elegance and power, fruit and savoriness, at an exceptional value price. In short, Sesti captures the heart and soul of Tuscany in this red, a 100% Sangiovese bottling from the core of Montalcino. It’s as classic as they come. 

    The 2017 vintage was a fantastic one in Tuscany, and the Monteleccio shows off the rich personality of the warm vintage along with the power of the Sangiovese Grosso grape—Brunello’s special clone—in a wine that drinks like something twice as expensive.

    Sesti is one of the stars of Kermit Lynch’s Italian portfolio. The same importer who discovered $1,000-per-bottle Burgundy producers like Coche-Dury and Italian icon Quintarelli before they were famous, his name is practically a guarantee of quality—but we were still blown away when we tasted this 2017.

    A beautiful deep garnet in color, the nose is explosively aromatic with scents of ripe black cherries, dried orange peel, Pekoe tea, dried strawberries, tobacco, and violets. On the palate, it’s unmistakably Brunello in origin, with broad shoulders and a rich personality. There’s plenty of bold red and black fruits, but also Sangiovese’s classic accents of dried herbs, spices, and cedar, leading to a long, slightly tannic finish that begs for a rich dish.

    Guigi Sesti isn’t the sort of land-owning nobleman we often associate with the pinnacle of Tuscany—and his wines are better for it. An astronomer by training, he purchased the ruined Castello di Argiano with his wife and slowly restored it himself, planting vineyards along the way. That self-made ethos helps explain why this wine is such a fantastic deal: He never set out to plant a vineyard for his ego—it was an extension of the farm he was restoring—so his pride isn’t wrapped up in the pricing.

    His scientific attention to detail meant that he was an early adopter of organic vineyard practices, all to develop a healthy ecosystem so the vines would produce the best grapes possible. Those grapes are vinified with the goal of letting their fantastic vineyard speak, so there’s very little vinous makeup applied in the cellar. This beauty doesn’t need it.

    The wine is fermented in stainless steel to preserve the grapes’ natural freshness and vibrancy, before aging in the traditional large botti of the region, which allow for gentle oxygenation that softens the wine’s tannins without imparting woody flavors. As a result, the personality of Brunello shines through. Monteleccio, after all, was the ancient Roman name for Montalcino.