2021 Ad Astra

Full bottle 1,241 g. Sangiovese 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, Merlot 20%, Cabernet Franc 5%, secret varieties 5%, mostly on sand rich with pebbles and clay. Fermentation in 5- and 10.5-ton stainless-steel tanks, followed by twelve months of ageing in French oak barrique and tonneaux, a few months in concrete and subsequent bottle ageing for 6 months. Certified organic (IT-BIO-004). Black core and very dark to the rim. Intense aroma of black fruit, with a touch of cassis and cedar but the Cabernet does not dominate. Savoury and deliciously yet darkly fragrant for a concentrated wine. Firm, chocolate-textured tannins, deep and thick and yet fresh on the finish, with the oak quite obvious on the palate at the moment. Chewy now but likely to age well because the framework is just that, and the fruit fills the core. It may not be my favourite style but it's a very good wine and has outgrown its place as Nectar Dei's younger sibling. (JH)

The 2021 Ad Astra, from vines in Maremma, is packed with super-ripe dark fruit, mocha, chocolate, licorice, leather, tobacco, incense and lavender. There's plenty of Maremma richness and resonance in this plush, extroverted red.