Subbia Antica Rosso di Montalcino 2018

For wine lovers in the know, Rosso di Montalcino offers a great-value alternative to pricey Brunello. So when we found this lovely example, we scooped it up immediately.

Subbia Antica hails from an estate in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, home to some of the region’s most prestigious red wines. After selecting their finest parcels of Sangiovese, the team barrel aged the wine for twelve months. This process imparted toasty oak and vanilla spice notes to the wine’s vibrant red cherry and black plum flavors.

Sangiovese is the flagship grape of Tuscany—made famous by Chianti but also Montalcino, which has a warm, dry climate and rockier, less fertile soils (both help Sangiovese grapes gain incredibly deep, concentrated flavors and robust structure). And with a vintage like 2018, you really don’t want to miss out.

This fine 2018 release earned a 90-point rating from critic James Suckling, plus 92 points from critic Eric Guido of Vinous.com, who called it “wonderfully expressive…elegant and silky…more structure and depth here than you’d expect from a Rosso.”

A very smart buy for a Rosso of this quality. Hurry for your share.

Note: We recommend decanting an hour before serving to allow its complex aromas and flavors time to develop. Then, enjoy glass alongside charcuterie and firm, aged cheeses. For the main course, try wild boar ragù pappardelle or spaghetti bolognese. Tasty vegetarian matches include eggplant lasagna or mushroom- and spinach-stuffed pasta shells.