We’re deeply partial to Sangiovese in its purest form, and few producers in Tuscany capture its unaltered beauty as well as Giuseppe Sesti and his daughter, Elisa. We’ve put their delightful ‘Monteleccio’ and Rosso in the hands of countless happy customers, but today we’re going to focus on their two Brunello bottlings from 2013. This is proving to be an exceptional vintage, with classic wines that showcase Sangiovese at its silken, luminous best. Their 2013 ‘normale’ Brunello has become a staple at the shop since we first offered it around this time last year. We’ve secured a few final cases of this delicious wine and wanted to give you one last shot to re-stock or stock up if you missed it the first go round. It continues to shine as brightly as it did when Matt first tasted it in the Sesti cellars back in 2018, with so much to give in the coming years.

We’re also thrilled to introduce Sesti’s brilliant 2013 Brunello Riserva, Phenomena for the first time today. As holistic practices have become more prevalent in the wine world, ‘mystical’ elements, such as the moon’s effect on wine production, are increasingly a part of the conversation. Few are more qualified to explore lunar influences in the vines & cellar than Giuseppe Sesti, an accomplished astronomer in his former life. This comes full circle in the Phenomena bottling, produced only in the best vintages and adorned with a unique label that commemorates an astronomical event that occurs during the harvest year. Whatever your thoughts on the metaphysical side of agriculture and winemaking, as Giuseppe would say, the proof is in the pudding. When you taste these wines, it’s abundantly clear that his deep connection to the cosmos is much more than just hocus pocus.

The production methods for both the Brunello and the Phenomena are very similar, with the Phenomena seeing an additional year of aging in large barrel before bottling. Both come from south-facing vineyards that Giuseppe planted in the early 90’s. Phenomena is a specific selection of fruit best suited to make a wine that emphasizes structure and density. Both exhibit the best of what Brunello has to offer, with richly layered fruit, deep spices and impeccable balance. Giuseppe tends to downplay the influence of his own hand or cellar practices as it relates to the quality of these special wines. He feels that when Sangiovese is planted in Montalcino with optimal exposure and at the right altitude, over the right soils, and handled with care and attention, it will radiate beauty all on its own. He makes it all sound very simple, though the wines are anything but. These two below are the most complete we’ve encountered from this enchanting property, and we’d encourage you to snap them up while you still can.

The wines below are offered on a first come, first served basis. Follow the links below to purchase directly from our site or call/email us if you need some assistance.

Cheers,
  
THE WINES
 


Sesti - Brunello di Montalcino 2013
24+ BOTTLES AVAILABLE | 6 MAGNUMS AVAILABLE | 3 3LS AVAILABLE
$105.00/BOTTLE | $225.00/MAGNUM | $525.00/3L
"Deep red. Sweet spices, ripe red cherry and Asian herbs on the vibrant nose. Then very clean and fresh in the mouth, offering raspberry, red cherry and coffee flavors that expand and linger nicely on the suave mouthfeel. There is a captivatingly complex, multilayered quality to this very deep, balanced, fleshy wine. One of the year’s best Brunellos."

-Ian D'Agata


SESTI - BRUNELLO DI MONTALCINO RISERVA, PHENOMENA 2013
24+ BOTTLES AVAILABLE
$145.00/BOTTLE
"Medium deep red. Ripe aromas of redcurrant, truffle, mocha and faded flowers on the slightly reserved nose. Then similar flavors to the aromas, with a strong tannic overlay. Dense and juicy, but quite tannic currently, this needs time to expand further, but has finishing grip to ensure your patience will be rewarded in time."

-Ian D'Agata
  
friday, 2/7
5:30-7:30pm
 Come explore each of Dominik Huber's 3 projects during this special tasting – Terroir Sense Fronteres in Montsant, Terroir Historic - organically farmed purchased fruit in Priorat - and Terroir al Limit – estate fruit in Priorat. His wines remain some of the most exciting being produced in Spain today, and we can't wait to share them with you. Find out more details and sign up on our site here.