~ Olive Groves on the Argiano Estate ~
There’s no question that Argiano is a venerable Brunello Estate. During 1935, the estate began producing red wine from Montalcino under the name Fattoria di Argiano. In 1967, when the Brunello Consorzio was formed, Argiano became a founding member. Ownership remained fairly constant until 1992 when the estate was sold to Countess Cinzano who set upon modernizing the cellars and enlisting Giacomo Tachis to create Solengo. Today, the estate is owned by a group of Brazilian businessmen.
I’ve generally not been a fan of Argiano’s NC, always feeling like the wine lacked a sense of place. However, the style seems to have been adjusted over the last few vintages. A wine born in the wake of the Brunellogate scandal, the name loosely translates as “Non-Conformer”. It could also be translated from Latin as “Not Ashamed”; striking a more sarcastic tone in light of the accusations made against Argiano during the 2003 scandal. Regardless, it has always been a value and the current vintage is quite appealing.
~ Sangiovese Grosso hanging at Argiano ~
The 2016 Argiano NC is approximately 40% Cabernet while the remaining 60% is a blend of Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah. Proportions change as the vintage dictates.
In the glass, the wine is an appealing ruby color with violet highlights. The aromas from the wine are very attractive featuring blue flowers, crushed plum, fresh herbs and a hint of spice. In the mouth, the wine is decidedly fruit forward with an ample core of medium bodied black fruits. However, there’s an underpinning of fresh acidity, new leather and pipe tobacco that gives this international cuvee a Tuscan accent. 90 points. This is a wonderful value between $15-$18. Find this wine.
~ The 2016 is a very attractive wine and a nice value under $20 ~
If you haven’t tasted this wine in a while, I suggest you re-visit it. Given the attractiveness of the vintage, this could be a wine to stock up on if you enjoy it.
Salute!
