Winemaker Notes
Grandi Annate 2016 amazes for its freshness and enveloping notes of wild strawberry and liquorice. On the palate it is rich and luxurious, with a creamy vanilla aftertaste. A real ambassador for its habitat, it brings balance and elegance to a slight acidic start.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Very pretty cherry and berry character with hints of citrus and cedar. It’s medium-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and a fresh finish. Lovely length. 100% sangiovese. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
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Wine & Spirits
Formerly Avignonesi’s top-level Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva, this became an IGT wine in the 2015 vintage. Virginie Saverys and her team lowered the production to about 12,000 bottles and decided to produce it only in the best vintages (there will be no 2017 or 2019). Winemaker Matteo Giustiniani has cut back on the use of small barrels in the 2016 vintage, aging the wine mostly in 30-hectoliter casks with 15 percent in tonneaux (ten percent new). The result is a wine with a smooth texture and impressive freshness, its red- and black-cherry flavors infused with lively acidity and underlined by firm, ferrous tannins. Subtle spice notes linger on an energetic finish.
Legendary in Italy for its Renaissance art and striking landscape, Tuscany is also home to many of the country’s best red wines. Sangiovese reigns supreme here, as either the single varietal, or a dominant player, in almost all of Tuscany’s best.
A remarkable Chianti, named for its region of origin, will have a bright acidity, supple tannins and plenty of cherry fruit character. From the hills and valleys surrounding the medieval village of Montalcino, come the distinguished and age-worthy wines based on Brunello (Sangiovese). Earning global acclaim since the 1970s, the Tuscan Blends are composed solely of international grape varieties or a mix of international and Sangiovese. The wine called Vine Nobile di Montepulciano, composed of Prognolo Gentile (Sangiovese) and is recognized both for finesse and power.