2016 Podere Poggio Scalette Il Carbonaione

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.

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 from 2023.

I followed the 2016 Il Carbonaione for three days and it only got better with air, its fruit gaining depth and richness, and its acidity becoming more integrated. However, it always offered ample upfront charm and grace as well as loads of pleasure. Possessing ripe cherries, strawberries, and even a hint of cassis in its fruit, it has lovely background notes of licorice, toasted spices, and blood orange. Medium-bodied and silky on the palate, it has a supple, seamless texture, nicely integrated acidity, and sweet tannins, all of which are beautifully balanced by the wines upfront fruit. This is an elegant yet also powerful expression of Sangiovese that has wonder depth and purity of fruit. Drink it any time over the coming 15-20 years.