Lombardo Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2019

Long before Brunello, Nobile di Montepulciano was the KING of Tuscany. A sangiovese clone known for its rare combination of structure and elegance, these wines have been the showpiece on the tables of Tuscan royalty for centuries. This 90-point beast of remarkable purity is a steal for your collection – UNDER $20!

In 1972, after moving from Sicily and running a small trucking business, Antonio Lombardo achieved his dream and purchased the first 12 hectares of vineyard land in the heart of Montepulciano. The estate expanded with new vineyards and a completely modernized cellar in the basement of their 18th-century estate house back in 1986. As their renown increased, the family dining room became the winery’s tasting room, hosting scores of visitors to Montepulciano each season.

Sangiovese (locally known as prugnolo gentile) at this level (from the incredibly picturesque town of Montepulciano) just whips you back to the rolling hills of the glorious Tuscan countryside with each and every sip. So aromatic, so flowery, with tobacco and cedar, it’s perfectly fresh and deeply satisfying with pure flavors of red cherry and grilled herbs. A spicy note of clove and pastis grant this wine a heady depth, and a simply immense finish hint at this wine’s development to come. There’s a lot of wine in this bottle – especially at our incredible price that you can’t beat anywhere!

Today Antonio’s sons, Giacinto and Francesco, are at the helm, continuing their father’s dream of producing memorable wines that are historically authentic representations of this iconic region. The Lombardo estate is spread across 35 hectares of vineyards, with the vast majority planted to sangiovese. These varied soils across the estate give the complexity that is so readily apparent here: medium-textured and tuffaceous soils well-suited for elegant and non-tannic expressions, with clay soils fashioning more structured wines suitable for long aging. A perfect balance of elegance and structure is the result and this is simply a gorgeous, classically Italian feast of a wine that must be tasted to be believed. At this price? Do not hesitate to grab six for drinking over the next several years!

PAIRING IDEAS: Pasta, of course! Pici is the local pasta if you can find it or make it, rock on. Any pasta will work, really, with a tomato/garlic sauce, also typical of the region. Enjoy!