Review: Argiano 2018 Brunello di Montalcino and 2021 Non Confunditur
Two wines from Argiano, a historic winery in Tuscany’s Montalcino area that dates back to 1580 (as an olive oil producer) and which is, more recently, the first company in the area to become plastic-free.
2018 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino DOCG – “The soul of the Argiano portfolio” is this unusually lighthanded Brunello, showcasing the 100% sangiovese wine at its most ephemeral and elegant. Pale in color with a tinge of purple to it, the wine is an exercise in restraint, featuring notes of underripe cherries leaning into a more bitter, bracing rhubarb character with time in glass. Graphite and anise provide an ample mineral-earthy quality, while the finish of brewed black tea pours on herbaceous notes. Excellent stuff when you’re looking for a tamer but still distinctly Italian experience. A- / $100
2021 Argiano Non Confunditur IGT – A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and sangiovese, this is about as opposite an experience to the above Brunello as can be imagined. Dark, dense, and aggressive, this is a brooding wine that leans on notes of turned earth, anise, and roasted meats to create a dark, cellar-like experience that feels a bit like being buried alive, in the best possible way. Lightly pruny on the finish, some baking spices finally come along to liven things up, but only to an extent. On the whole, the experience remains a bit overwhelming and heavy, its gravity working like a black hole to keep light from escaping. B / $21
2018 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino DOCG
$100
