2013 Tenuta Il Palagio Sister Moon Toscana 750 ml

Four summers ago, we drove northeast out of Montalcino to Valdichiana, then jumped on the E35 heading due north. Two-thirds of the way to Florence, we exited at the Figline Valdarno, and would soon pull into the majestic, cypress-lined driveway of Villa Il Palagio. On the sun-dappled patio, we met the estate’s owner, one of the most brilliant rock artists of all time. Growing up in the shadows of Wallsend’s historic shipyards, his parents called him Gordon. Today, he’s known only as Sting. 

Soon after our visit to Il Palagio, we offered the estate-grown Super Tuscan from Sting and his wife Trudie Styler, the magnificent Sister Moon. That story struck a chord with the Wine Access membership, making for one of the fastest sellouts in our history. We were ecstatic, as were Sting and Trudie, who extended an open invitation to their estate in the Tuscan hills which is how we’re able to offer today’s stunning release: The 2013 Tenuta Il Palagio Sister Moon, a Tignanello-inspired Tuscan red that steals the show from Sting himself.

After nearly seven years of slumber in Il Palagio’s ancient cellars, the ‘13 Sister Moon greeted us from the glass with developing herbs and fresh red fruit aromas, before giving way to Morello cherry and black plum flavors on the supple, charismatic palate. The resemblance to Tignanello’s $130 flagship is palpable, yet Sister Moon delivers Tig’s standard-bearing Super Tuscan complexity for 1/3rd the price. 

We pulled up the scenic, cypress-lined drive to find winemaker Paolo Caciorgna hosing off equipment on the crush pad. “It’s too bad you’re late, we would have put you to work,” he half-joked as he offered us a taste of just-picked Sangiovese grapes from a leftover cluster. One taste of the crisp, nearly-black grapes and we knew we were in for a treat.

He offered us a tour of the property we couldn’t refuse. Since 1997, Caciorgna explained, Sting and his wife Trudie Styler have been devoted to restoring the estate’s agricultural heritage—sparing no expense to revitalize the 650 acres of orchards and vineyards that cascade over the winery’s picturesque rolling hills, with special attention to creating biodiversity and developing a thriving polyculture.  

Their two decades of work shows in their impeccably maintained vineyards, which thrive atop crumbly clay-rich marl soils that help promote the ripeness and structure of the wine, allowing Paolo to craft wines of elegance and balance. We see a lot of vineyards and wineries, but few are as impressive as Il Palagio. 

Inside the yellow villa that serves as the winery and tasting room, the 2013 Sister Moon was the clear standout in Il Palagio’s lineup. Pleasantly aromatic blending Morello cherry, black plums, fresh sage, dried herbs, and sweet spice, the Sister Moon is an elegant blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet that is harmonizing beautifully right now, but will also improve over the next several years.

That evening, we grabbed a spot on the patio, overlooking the gorgeous Tuscan sunset, washed down the view with the polished and beautifully balanced 2013 Sister Moon, relishing in the dulcet tones of Sting’s acoustic performance of “Fields of Gold” and other classics. 

While we wish you could have been there with us, the wine is the real rockstar in this story. When you get your bottles, we invite you to pop a cork, and pair this stunner with your favorite Police or Sting album.