The 2005 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Salco Evoluzione is a wine that seems to get better with each passing vintage. The 2005 takes another step in the right direction, despite a vintage that on paper was less favorable than 2004. This dark, hulking Salco flows from the glass with massive depth in its dark fruit, French oak, licorice and new leather. The balance of fruit, acidity, structure and French oak is nothing short of first-class, while the finish is generous and expansive. There is something totally mesmerizing about this superb, pedigreed Salco. Simply put, it is terrific. The Salco is 100% Prugnolo Gentile (Sangiovese) fermented in large oak vats and aged in a combination of small French oak barrels and in large Slavonian oak casks for a total of 24 months. Readers should note that the estate made the decision to bottle half of the 2005 Salco Evoluzione with traditional cork and the other half under screwcap. The winery intends to sell the wine in 2-packs with one bottle of each closure. Because screwcaps aren’t allowed in the Vino Nobile DOCG, those bottles have been declassified to IGT Rosso Toscano. This is one of the more important wines I know of being bottled under screwcap. It will be fascinating to follow the evolution of the wine with both closures in the coming years. I tasted the wine bottled with cork, which is reflected in my drinking window. Naturally, there is little evidence so far to support how the Salco might age with a synthetic closure. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. These new releases from Salcheto span several vintages, but they all have one thing in common: they are absolutely terrific. Readers who haven’t yet discovered Salcheto are missing out on some of the most delicious wines being made in Tuscany today. Importer: Bedford International, Larchmont, NY; tel. (914) 833-2725