The latest gem from Castello di Argiano

When Giuseppe and Sarah Sesti originally came to Argiano, they didn't plan to make wine - Giuseppe just wanted a retreat where he could continue writing his books on astronomy. But after a decade helping local winemakers with their English and picking up a huge reservoir of winemaking knowledge in the process, Giuseppe realised he was sitting on prime Brunello land, and planted his first vineyard. He also knew exactly what sort of wine he wanted to produce; this is traditionally crafted Brunello for Sangiovese purists.

With only 13 hectares under vine, Sesti is a true boutique estate, making wines with levels of care which bigger estates could only dream of. The winemaking is also informed by Giuseppe's background in astronomy; they plant, prune and harvest according to lunar cycles. After careful vineyard management come conservative cellar practices; botti lie in cool repose in the cellars of the Castle of Argiano. There is nothing like the thick walls of a medieval fortification for maintaining a constant temperature.

The heat spike in the middle of August 2011 made it a trickier vintage to manage than 2010. But what I consistently saw in Montalcino last month was that those winemakers who got it right made spectacular Brunello, in several cases exceeding the quality of the much heralded 2010 vintage. Sesti have handled 2011 particularly artfully - their 2011 Brunello is intriguing and complex, with a deceptive delicacy that belies its depth. /NT