Montepeloso’s 2005 Nardo presents a lovely vein of minerality that supports vibrant red cherries, smoke and earthiness. Medium in body with well-integrated tannins, it possesses gorgeous inner sweetness and perfume that carries through all the way to the finish. This is superb juice. In 2005, the Nardo is mostly Sangiovese with some Cabernet. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2017. Suvereto is one of the warmer micro-climates in Tuscany’s Maremma. Growers here can easily achieve ripeness and make big, full-bodied wines. Elegance, on the other hand, is much more elusive. I can’t think of too many other producers who manage to reconcile these two seemingly disparate characteristics better than proprietor Fabio Chiarelotto at Montepeloso. The winery is as bare-bones as readers are likely to find anywhere, yet some of the region’s most finessed wines come from these cramped quarters. Chiarelotto’s 2005 are very successful, but his 2006s are simply off the charts. In fact they have remained almost as fresh and primary as they were when I first tasted them from tank late that year! The 2006s reviewed below are samples of the final blends taken as the wines awaited imminent bottling. If the finished wines capture the essence of what I tasted, these will be the finest wines yet from Montepeloso. Readers should note that Chiarelotto is always hesitant to discuss the exact blends in his wines as he feels those discussions take attention away from the specific merits of the terroirs he works with, so the descriptions of the grapes in these wines should be taken as an approximation. Importer: The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484