This is the most unique Tuscan red wine any of us is likely to taste this year. And I can’t stress this enough: “unique” is not a euphemism for “weird.” Cerbaiona’s sumptuous “Lot 8/19” is readily identifiable as first-class Tuscan Sangiovese, as one would expect from one of Montalcino’s true ‘boutique’ estates, but there are a few experimental twists to the story that really distinguish this wine.
First off, the Sangiovese component of the wine (90%) comes not only from Cerbaiona’s estate vineyard in Montalcino, but from two leased sites—one nearby, in the Val d’Orcia, and another up north in Chianti Classico, a high-elevation site in the Alta Valle della Greve (which also supplies Poggio Scalette with the Sangiovese for its acclaimed “Il Carbonaione” super-Tuscan). Then, GM/Winemaker Matthew Fioretti reached even further afield, to the Apennine foothills northwest of Florence, for some Pinot Noir (the remaining 10% of this wine) from the Marchesi Pancrazi estate in San Donato. This is not one of those clear-the-decks VdT wines made from grapes that didn’t make the cut for Brunello or Rosso di Montalcino; “Lot 8/19” is a multi-vintage blend (the Sangiovese is from 2017; the Pinot from ’18) which Fioretti describes as “the back shelves of my workshop.” Since arriving at Cerbaiona in 2015, he’s been on a quest to not only maximize quality at Cerbaiona but explore Tuscany more broadly in search of new, exciting terroirs—and the opportunities they provide. With some thoughtful tinkering, he took some disparate spare parts and turned them into something shiny and new—it’s like nothing else out there, and very delicious, so do not miss it!
When we tasted this wine at SommSelect HQ, we knew that top-tier Montalcino Sangiovese was at the heart of the story: Since its first vintage in 1981, Cerbaiona has produced some of the most sensational—if hard to get—Brunello di Montalcino wines of the modern era. But we knew something was up, because this Vino da Tavola (“Table Wine”) bottling has had several different looks in recent years. The last edition we offered, from 2014, mixed Sangiovese with estate-grown Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and bested countless “super-Tuscans” costing much more. But this wine was clearly a different animal, and when I spotted the cryptic (L. 8/19) on the label, I figured it was some secret code for what was going on with this wine. As it turns out, it was!
Fioretti is an old friend of mine. I bought a lot of Italian wine from him when he owned an importing company in San Francisco, and have followed his career with interest (and a little bit of envy) as he has been living the expat life in Italy since 2004. Cerbaiona, founded by the legendary Diego Molinari in 1981, is a true gem of a property, including a 16th-century manor house, Renaissance-era gardens, and a private chapel. Fioretti has set about re-planting portions of the estate and expanding its Montalcino holdings somewhat, with a focus on Sangiovese exclusively. Beyond that, he’s been exploring the wider world of Tuscan viticulture, expanding his reach to Pienza, near Siena, with an experimental planting of Cabernet Franc and Merlot at 450 meters’ elevation.
Today’s Lot 8/19 is 90% Sangiovese and 10% Pinot Noir, fermented in large upright wooden fermenters and aged in casks of varying sizes (the Sangiovese in 17-hectoliter casks and the Pinot Noir in smaller French oak
tonneaux). It has the kind of concentration one would expect from a Sangiovese from Montalcino, but with a brightness and lift—and a softer tannic profile—that sets it apart. In the glass, it’s a deep, lustrous garnet-ruby moving to pink at the rim, with perfumed aromas of black cherry, currants, black and red raspberries, violet, tar, tobacco, and underbrush. In true Cerbaiona fashion, the wine has a luscious, seamless texture—firm, not harsh, tannins and lots of brightness, but generous fruit on the mid-palate. It’s got all the masculine “woodsiness” typical of Sangiovese, but with a touch of sappy generosity imparted by the Pinot Noir. It will drink well over the next 3-5 years at a minimum, but I won’t be waiting: Decant it 30 minutes before serving at 60-65 degrees in Bordeaux stems and you’re good to go. There’s still a lot of steaks, burgers, sausages, and other meats to be grilled over the next few months, and you couldn’t ask for a more perfect red to have by your side—for before, during, and after, the cooking process. Enjoy!
