Poggio Scalette, Carbonaione, IGT 2016

What a crazy nose of pure fruit, featuring pressed violets, lavender, dark plums, cherry compote, orange rind, lemon zest, boysenberries, vanilla, Thai basil and bay leaf. The fruit is so overt and generous, yet presented in an unimaginably sleek way, the firm tannins keeping it compact and silky throughout, while the tangy acidity cuts right through to the long, structured finish. Drink in 2023.

Vittorio Fiore's 2016 Il Carbonaione is a robust expression of Sangiovese from a classic vintage. The wine is carefully balanced but also powerful at the same time, with bright cherry and wild berry aromas followed by tilled earth and garden herb. You also get lighter tones of licorice and tar at the back. Despite the opulence and generosity of the bouquet, the wine ultimately proves lean and elegantly streamlined in terms of mouthfeel.

The 2016 Il Carbonaione, 100% Sangiovese, is silky and nuanced. Less rich and explosive than it often is, the 2016 shows a more refined, understated side of Sangiovese for this wine. Sweet tobacco, dried herbs, mint, licorice and game add layers of complexity. The 2016 is pretty, but not the overachiever it so often is. Quite frankly, I expected more given the quality of the vintage.