Argiano : Vigna del Suolo 2019

Tasting characteristics and tips for Argiano’s Vigna del Suolo 2019

Tasting

Appearance

The wine shows a deep ruby-red hue with garnet and orange highlights, underscoring its vibrant youth while hinting at its capacity to evolve.

Nose

The nose captivates with remarkable precision and exceptional aromatic purity. It opens on notes of ripe red cherry, wild raspberry and strawberry, lifted by subtle touches of pomegranate. With aeration, the bouquet gains in complexity: wild herbs, mentholated balsamic notes, pipe tobacco, rose and violet. Its mineral signature asserts itself elegantly through nuances of flint, dusty slate and gravel, a faithful reflection of the vineyard’s fossil-rich clay-limestone soils. Hints of citrus (orange zest, bergamot), sweet spices (black pepper, cinnamon) and Mediterranean herbs round out this sophisticated bouquet in perfect harmony.

Palate

On the palate, the wine unfurls a silky, elegant texture with striking harmony. The attack reveals a medium-bodied frame with vibrant fruit—cherry, raspberry, plum—carried by juicy energy and a lingering mineral freshness. The tannins stand out for their extremely fine, velvety grain, perfectly integrated into the overall structure. Bright, finely etched acidity brings impressive vertical tension, ensuring freshness and ageing potential. The finish, extraordinarily long and persistent, gradually shifts from fruit toward more complex notes of tobacco, leather, balsamic herbs, eucalyptus and stony minerality. The overall balance between fruit, tannins, acidity and mineral dimension speaks to exemplary craftsmanship.

Food and wine pairings

This Brunello di Montalcino pairs beautifully with braised meats and game dishes. It is an ideal match for Tuscan wild boar ragù, roasted poultry such as guinea fowl or duck with a wine reduction, as well as grilled or roasted red meats served with elaborate sauces. Fresh pasta with rich sauces—pappardelle with wild boar ragù, pici with sausage and mushrooms—also make perfect pairings. Aged cheeses, especially pecorino di Pienza, offer remarkable harmony with this structured wine.

Serving and cellaring

Vigna del Suolo 2019 can be enjoyed now, but it will fully express its complexity after a few years in bottle. Critics recommend cellaring it until around 2027 or 2032 for optimal maturity, with a drinking window extending to around 2044. Decanting for one to two hours before serving will help aerate the wine and reveal its full aromatic range.

An exceptional Brunello di Montalcino from a historic Tuscan terroir

The estate

Founded in 1580 by the noble Pecci family, who built the Villa Bell'Aria on a plateau in southwestern Tuscany, Argiano is among Montalcino’s leading historic estates and was a founding member of the Brunello di Montalcino consortium in 1967. Now owned by Brazilian entrepreneur André Santos Esteves since 2013, the estate spans 125 hectares, including 57 hectares of vineyards, led by CEO and oenologist Bernardino Sani, assisted by agronomist Francesco Monari. Under their impetus, Argiano has undergone a radical philosophical transformation, moving away from the modern, extracted style of the 1990s and 2000s to rediscover the classic elegance of brunello, thanks to meticulous soil mapping revealing six distinct micro-zones, organic certification obtained in 2018, and the complete replacement of small-format barriques with large oak casks. This decade-long renaissance—validated by Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year 2023 award for the 2018 Brunello—brilliantly illustrates how territorial authenticity and sustainable viticulture are redefining excellence in Tuscany.

The vineyard

Vigna del Suolo comes from a parcel of around four hectares planted with Sangiovese vines over sixty-five years old, located in the southwest of the Brunello di Montalcino appellation at 320 meters above sea level. The terroir is defined by clay-limestone soils enriched with marl and fossil fragments, bearing witness to an ancient marine origin. This unique geological composition gives the wine its distinctive mineral signature and its tangy, saline profile. Optimal exposure and ocean breezes moving through the Val d'Orcia valley create ideal microclimatic conditions, encouraging extended ripening while preserving high acidity. Vineyard management follows the principles of certified organic farming since 2018, favoring biodiversity and the authentic expression of terroir.

The vintage

The 2019 vintage proved exceptional in Tuscany. After a mild winter, the growing season benefited from favorable conditions, with a remarkable diurnal temperature range during the final ripening period: the Fregoni Index recorded an average 14.4°C gap between daytime and nighttime temperatures from August 23 to September 21. Welcome rainfall in mid-September (about 45 millimeters) provided the necessary moisture without negative consequences. Late-September tramontane winds then ushered in dry conditions and cool nights, allowing optimal phenolic ripeness while maintaining ideal acidity. Harvest took place between late September and early October in perfect sunny conditions.

Winemaking and ageing

The grapes for Vigna del Suolo 2019 were vinified according to Argiano’s contemporary philosophy, favoring elegance and transparency of terroir. Fermentation took place in cement and concrete tanks with indigenous yeasts, without excessive technical manipulation. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally in cement tanks. Ageing lasted around twelve months in 15-hectoliter French Allier oak casks and oval foudres, definitively replacing the small-format barriques previously used. This approach allows subtle oak integration without masking the wine’s fruity and mineral expression, in keeping with the pursuit of balance and finesse that now defines Argiano’s wines.

Grape variety

100% Sangiovese Grosso, a historic traditional Montalcino clone from vines over sixty-five years old.