2015 Salcheto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 750 ml

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is one of the great unheralded heroes of Tuscany, and Salcheto is producing some of the most exciting examples in the entire region. No less an expert than Vinous’s Antonio Galloni proclaimed that, “Readers who haven’t yet discovered Salcheto are missing out on some of the most delicious wines being made in Tuscany today.” That’s right: Not just one of the most impressive examples of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano…but some of the best in all of Tuscany. 94 points from Wine Spectator for under $30? Easily one of the top Italian value reds in the entire country. Lifted aromatics of red-berry fruit zipped through with a Tuscan cornucopia of sage, violets, meat, and cedar.

It’s been a decades-long labor of love for Michele Manelli, and one that has paid off brilliantly. He took ownership of Salcheto in 1997 when the property, in the hillsides outside of Montepulciano, was still a farm for sheep and other crops. There was a modest patch of Sangiovese there, too, but that was about as far as its connection to the world of high-end Tuscan winemaking went. But Manelli had vision and determination, and after gutting the cellar, overhauling the winery, and rebuilding it all in 2011 with a focus on sustainability and innovation, he found himself playing in the big-leagues of Tuscan wine.

In a year like 2015, he was able to fully show off what all of that hard work has accomplished. Wine Spectator reported that, “a warm, balanced summer and well-timed rains” helped things along, while “winemakers across the region [reported] that the Sangiovese looks spectacular…”

For Salcheto, the results more than lived up to the hype of the vintage. It earned a glowing 94-point review in Wine Spectator that lauded its “terrific intensity and balance” on the heels of having been named the 2014 Gambero Rosso Sustainable Winery of the Year. Here at Wine Access, we adore its expressive, lifted aromatics and palate, which is fresh with herbs and spice and alive with the kind of acidity that allows the best Sangiovese of Tuscany to age with grace and vibrancy.

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano won’t be overshadowed by its Sangiovese cousins in Montalcino and Chianti much longer if visionary producers like Salcheto keep on crafting wine like this.