The 2012 Toscana Sangiovese is terrific, just behind the 2008 in this flight of wines made during what was undoubtedly the most difficult time in the estate’s history. It possesses fine depth and overall harmony. Racy, silky tannins wrap around a core of Sangiovese fruit. Blood orange, rose petal, cinnamon and mint accents linger. I very much like the freshness here.

100% Sangiovese. A similar year to 2011 with cool, wet, but much shorter bloom-to-véraison phase, and a hot, dry véraison-to-harvest phase. Harvested 17 September. As with 2011, intense selection, spontaneous fermentation, no temperature control, made in truncated cone-shaped Slavonian oak vats. Spontaneous malo which took four weeks to complete. Aged for 50 months in Slavonian oak barrels. Bottled without filtering or fining. At bottling, the wine contained 54 mg/l of total SO2 (of which 19 mg/L as free SO2), RS 0 g/l. Total production of 2012 is just 3,600 bottles. Deeper ruby than the 2011. Rich and ripe. Almost gamey. Masses of sweetness and heat. Great polish. Slightly raw but very promising. Really perfumed and pungent. Very long. Still chewy. (JR)