2018 Sesti - Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Phenomena (750ml)

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We’re deeply enamored with Sangiovese in its purest form, and few producers in Tuscany capture its unaltered beauty as well as Giuseppe Sesti and his daughter, Elisa, who joined him at the estate in 1999. They feel that when Sangiovese is planted in Montalcino in the right sites and handled with care and attention, it will radiate beauty all on its own. The vines are farmed according to some biodynamic and organic practices, but the family have no intention of becoming certified. In the cellar, the wines are fermented with native yeasts in stainless steel and aged in large 39 HL botti for just over 5 years, firmly placing them in the traditional and very consistent, clean camp.

As holistic practices have become more prevalent in the wine world, ‘mystical’ elements, such as the moon’s effect on wine production, are increasingly a part of the conversation. Few are more qualified to explore lunar influences in the vines and cellar than Giuseppe Sesti, an accomplished astronomer in his former life. This comes full circle in the ‘Phenomena' bottling, produced only in the best vintages and adorned with a unique label that commemorates an astronomical event that occurs during the harvest year. Whatever your thoughts on the metaphysical side of agriculture and winemaking, as Giuseppe would say, the proof is in the pudding. When you taste these wines, it’s abundantly clear that his deep connection to the cosmos is much more than just hocus pocus. This wine certainly has immediate drinking appeal but would also reward with more time in the cellar.