And Solengo, the Montalcino SuperTuscan
'This is not the Argiano of yesteryear. Bernardino Sani and his team at Argiano have an open-minded approach and are totally rethinking what makes the southern terroir around Sant'Angelo in Colle different from the rest of Montalcino… While I'm not quite ready to say that Argiano is the most improved estate in Montalcino over the last ten years, they are certainly in the running for that title.' - Eric Guido, vinous.com, December 2021
The late Renaissance hilltop villa of Argiano has a timeless air. Many owners have come and gone, but vineyards have been a constant here for 500 years. Look closer, though, and change is afoot. Global warming is impacting many of the world's most highly-regarded winemaking areas, and growers and winemakers need to be responsive - it might mean the difference between success and failure.
2017 saw a hot, dry Montalcino vintage. Winemaker Bernardino Sani notes that a decade ago, a torrid vintage would have caused them to stumble. But Argiano is not what it was. Everything is organic now, and there is much more biodiversity among the vineyards. Clonal selection, soil studies and replanting have all contributed to a healthier, more responsive vineyard. The way they handle canopy management is very different. 'It's hard to recognize today's wines from what this winery was producing twenty years ago', writes Eric Guido on vinous.com; he lists Argiano as making one of the greatest wines of the region.
Solengo is a very different expression of the same terroir. 'Solengo' means 'solitary wild boar' in local dialect, and vineyard workers do need to watch out for wild boar - it is also referred to as the 'Montalcino SuperTuscan'. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Sangiovese shows how Bordeaux varietals really love Tuscan terroir. /NT
Offered subject to remaining unsold; for shipment late Spring 2022
