We typically taste a lot of wine in one sitting (yes, it’s a tough job). Such is the case with most professional tasters, and especially critics, who also get to compare a wide array of wines from the same grape/region at the same time. Which leads me to today’s Nobile di Montepulciano from Salcheto: This 2013 doesn’t merely stand out in a crowded field, it stops the show. 

Given how impressive the Salcheto lineup has been over the last few years, we were predisposed to like “Salco,” but it still exceeded expectations in a way that happens very rarely. This estate is not just a model of sustainability in both the vineyards and the cellar but one of the most effective champions of the Sangiovese grape in Italy today. In fact, if Salcheto weren’t in Montepulciano, which tends to get third-billing among Tuscany’s big-three Sangiovese growing zones, I’d wager it would be exponentially more famous. Rest assured that the critics know Salcheto’s Michele Manelli, and his wines, very well—but if you haven’t yet tuned in and turned on, get ready for a master class in Sangiovese elegance, polish, and precision. “Salco” is Manelli’s most prized old-vine Sangiovese vineyard, which, along with another mature parcel, “Laghetto,” provides the source material for this sumptuous 2013. It matured for roughly six years—first in barrel, then bottle—before its release, and I’ll put it as plainly as possible: It’s one of the best Tuscan reds I’ve ever tasted. Montalcino, Chianti, Montepulciano…wherever your favorite Sangioveses may come from, this one will rocket straight to the top of the list. Best of all? It’s just getting started.

Whereas Brunello di Montalcino is required by law to be 100% Sangiovese, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (now more often labeled without the “Vino” at the beginning) and Chianti Classico have historically been blended. When I first started studying Italian wine seriously, a lot of the focus in the Chianti and Montepulciano regions was on “international” varieties such as Cabernet and Merlot, and how incorporating these grapes attracted both critical attention and new consumers to the wines. But the tide has really shifted back in the other direction, and Salcheto is right at the forefront: Manelli makes four different Nobile di Montepulciano bottlings, all of which are 100% Sangiovese—or Prugnolo Gentile, as it’s known locally.

Salcheto’s 28 hectares of Montepulciano vineyards are Certified Organic (they employ biodynamic practices as well), and Manelli has put his money where his mouth is when it comes to sustainability: The winery is removed from the local electric grid, powered completely by solar and other renewable sources. He also calculates (and publishes on the label) the carbon footprint of each bottle of wine he makes. He also designed a special, lighter-weight bottle, called the “Bordolese Toscanella,” to maximize efficiency during shipping. 

Today’s 2013, composed of old-vine Sangiovese hand-harvested from the “Salco” and “Laghetto” vineyards, was fermented on native yeasts and treated with the lowest amount of sulfur possible all the way through bottling. In terms of aging, “Salco” ventures into Gran Reserva Rioja territory: 24 months in mixed oak barrels (30% large Slavonian oak casks and 70% in French oak tonneaux), followed by at least three years in bottle before release. So yes, they’ve done a lot of the work for us already, and it shows: The wine is perfectly proportioned, combining dark, sumptuous fruit, sweet spice, and savory earth seamlessly. It displays a deep ruby-garnet core moving to pink and a hint of orange at the rim, unleashing a mesmerizing array of aromas with a few swirls of the glass: black cherries, plums, violets, leather, ground espresso, oiled leather, vanilla, and underbrush all carry over to the medium-plus-bodied palate. It is right on the edge of full-bodied, with extremely fine-grained tannins and lots of freshness keeping it lively—it already has the complete package but its precision balance is also what will preserve it over the next 10-15 years. This is a Brunello di Montalcino price point and I can assure you it earns it and then some: Decant it 45 minutes before serving in large Bordeaux stems and it will blow your mind—especially if you pair it with the attached recipe. This is as good as Sangiovese gets—enjoy it!