2018 Montepeloso Nardo

Proprietor Fabio Chiarelotto and longtime winemaker Fabrizio Moltard ratchet things up with their stellar 2018 Nardo. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, gravel, spice, underbrush, menthol, licorice and scorched earth give the 2018 its distinct, sepia-toned personality. Dark and brooding in the glass, with imposing tannins, the 2018 is a flat-out stunner. Give it a few years in bottle first. Nardo is built around a core of Sangiovese, with Montepulciano, Alicante and Malvasia Nera. Chiarelotto has reduced the presence of Montepulciano in the blend. If the 2018 is any indication, that choice looks to be spot on.

Here is a generous and nicely concentrated blend from the Tuscan Coast. Featuring 45% Sangiovese, 20% Montepulciano, 20% Alicante and 15% Malvasia Nera, the wine opens to a dark and impenetrable appearance. The 2018 Nardo is a small and precious production with only 1,900 bottles made. It is sultry, extracted and velvety, but it also shows impeccable balance. The Montepeloso team shows real talent when it comes to experimenting and perfecting these offbeat blends, and I cannot imagine any other estate presenting such seamless results using these specific vinous building blocks. Dark fruit, cacao, cedar, cigar box and warm notes of soil or forest floor lift gently from the bouquet. This is a real beauty.

The 2018 Nardo shows its typically bright upper register as well as the mid-weight personality of the year. The oak is a bit pronounced at this stage, but then again, the wine is in tank and still coming together. I find terrific depth and plenty of persistence, but in this tasting, Nardo is the least settled of the wines.