Last month I was treated to lunch at the fabulous Il Gattopardo in New York City: a delicious invitation on its own but this time magnified by the opportunity to taste five wines from Fattoria La Talosa. This winery, whose cellar dates to the 16^th century, specializes in Sangiovese-based wine, particularly Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. (They also make a heck of a Vin Santo, but more on that later . . .)

Our host was Cristian Pepi, Sales Manager and member of the winemaking team for Fattoria La Talosa. He shared stories about the property’s origins, vineyards, and cellar practices. As we gazed at the feast before us, Cristian reminded us of wine’s important role in Italian culture, sharing what his father used to say:

Wine is like a fork. It belongs on the table with every meal.

Cheers to that!

About Fattoria La Talosa

Vineyards stretch across 33 hectares of rolling hills (350-400 meters above sea level) in Pietrose, specifically the cru of Pieve Le Grazie. All have been farmed organically since 2007, receiving official certification in the past year. Soils are sandy with ribbons of clay running throughout, with origins in the Pliocene era (between 5 and 3 million years ago). Sand retains heat and ensures adequate drainage in the vineyards, while clay is cooler and denser, retaining water (which is helpful during times of drought.) La Talosa is blessed with both.

Tasting the Wines

2021 Alboreto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano (19 euros at the cellar)

Cristian indicated this wine was “the most blended” of all the property’s wines, representing multiple plots of Sangiovese grapes that were harvested from mid-September through the second week of October. Fermentation was in stainless steel tanks for 15-20 days. The finished wine aged 2 years in a combination of large tonneaux (2nd, 3rd and 4th use) and stainless steel. It aged in bottle an additional 12 months before release.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose there is lots of red strawberry-cherry fruit; some sweet spice. On the palate there are savory elements: green olive, herbs. Bright, elegant, balanced, subtle. Next to Le Grazie, this was my favorite of the tasting. These two wines are like bookends style-wise, highlighting the range and depth of Talosa wines. Per Cristian, grapes for Alboreto were grown on steep slopes on sandy soils that have tiers of clay. He calls this a Sunday wine, for serving with wild boar.

We enjoyed the Alboreto with a lovely dish of grilled octopus over a mix of endive, celery, oven-dried cherry tomatoes, and taggiasca olives. What a spectacular combination! The Alboreto was delicate enough to play well with the octopus yet structured enough to complement the stronger flavors of endive, celery, and olive. This wine has range: it would make a great partner with anything from fresh fish grilled over herbs to a hearty bean stew with pancetta.

2020 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva (35 euros at the cellar)

Grapes for the Riserva come primarily from clay soils. The wine spends one year in small French oak barrels (2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th use; one-third in each) to encourage limited oxygen exposure and soften the tannins. Then it is blended into large barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Quite light on its feet considering the 14.5% abv. Black cherry aromas and flavors emerge after some time in the glass (a bit shy at first). Med+ tannins but so smooth. Lovely structural balance!

We had the opportunity to taste this wine with a gorgeous parmigiana of zucchini with fior di latte, drizzled with basil olive oil. Balance, balance, balance! Acid, tannin, fruit. Amazing that everything except the octopus salad was vegetarian. Even with the more structured wines we tasted, the food was never overshadowed.

2021 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Filai Lunghi (52 euros at the cellar)

Filai Lunghi translates to “long roads of vineyards” which, in this case, lie on 100% sandy soils. It’s the first of the property’s Sangiovese vineyards to be harvested each season, just after the Merlot, assuring that acidity is preserved. After fermentation (which lasts 15-20 days) the wine moves into new French tonneaux for one year, then into large Slavonian barrels for another 18 months. It ages another 12 months in bottle before release.

Tasting Notes:

Dark ruby red with a hint of garnet at the rim. According to Cristian, Filai Lunghi usually displays varietal aroma markers of balsamic or menthol. I picked up similar notes of root beer, sarsaparilla, and spice. Also lighter, floral notes of cherry blossom, along with red cherry, plum, and vanilla. On the palate it’s salty-sweet (Cristian talked about the salty character that emerges in wines from hot vintages) which reminds me of Asian salted plums. This wine has stronger tannins than the first two wines yet is still quite smooth. Definitely a food wine – give me a steak!

Or a plate of casoncelli ripieni with spring vegetables and burrata over a sauce of yellow cherry tomatoes. I really appreciated how well this wine worked with a vegetarian dish: one that, on paper, might seem too mild to match the wine’s structure. But again, the exquisite balance of the Filai Lunghi made the combo sing.

2021 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Pieve Le Grazie Vigna Chiusino  (125 euros at the cellar)

This wine comes from 100% Sangiovese grapes grown at 385 meters above sea level on southwest-facing slopes. Harvest was completed manually in the first two weeks of October, after which the grapes were destemmed, lightly crushed, and fermented in stainless steel tanks. After fermentation, the wine macerated on the skins for 10 days, then was racked into second- and third-use tonneaux for two years, followed by 12 months of bottle aging.

Tasting Notes:

Ripe nose of blueberry, blackberry, red raspberry, and cherry. Soft tannins, a slight sour-cherry bitterness (not unpleasant) on the long finish. My favorite wine of the day! We savored this beautiful wine with both of the pasta dishes (and a small plate of arancini) and it was splendid with everything.

Vin Santo di Montepulciano 1996 Occhio di Pernice (48 euros at the cellar; 375 ml)

A blend of Sangiovese, Trebbiano, Malvasia, and Grechetto. The key to this wine, according to Cristian, is the “white mold” (not black) that develops during the drying-out process in the attic where the wine is also aged. The “mother yeast” for the Vin Santo dates to 1900, as do the 110-liter oak barrels in which the wine is matured.

And no, that’s not a typo in the heading: this wine is almost 30 years old! It’s the product of manual selection of the best grapes which are then dried for three to four months in boxes, a process that’s monitored weekly. Pressing is gentle, via a vertical press, and the juice rests in barrel with the “mother” for many years.

Tasting Notes:

Occhio di Pernice (which translates to pheasant’s eye), must be at least 50% Sangiovese. Regular Vin Santo, on the other hand, can be less than 50%. On the nose there are enticing aromas of brown sugar (bubbling on the stove!); walnut, and orange rind. On the palate there is high acidity with flavors of lemon curd, dried orange peel, and molasses. Absolutely delicious! Every wine should be this well-balanced.

Final Thoughts

As Cristian explained during the lunch:

“Each bottle is a different personality. We try to protect the unique soils to that we can bottle the best version of each harvest.”

In my mind, that comes down to balance: in the vineyards, in the cellar, and in the glass. As I tasted through the wines, the exquisite dance of acidity, tannin, fruit, and alcohol came through in every sip. I pictured a ballerina en pointe, poised on the tip of one toe for a single, perfect second. Or maybe it was more of an aerialist’s high-wire act, where everything is literally on the line, all elements suspended without movement, no margin for error. Yet somehow, it works.

That’s the story of these wines: beautiful creations that strike a seemingly impossible balance. With no bobbles. Is it science? Nature? Perhaps it’s just old-fashioned hard work and attention to detail, a devotion to the style of wines made “way back when” but harder to emulate now because of climate change.

The risks are higher today, the task is harder, and temptations abound (planting secondary grape varieties; irrigation). But these wines are the reward for treading an honest path, hewing to the playbook that brought you here. Remembering who and what you are.

Bravo, Fattoria La Talosa. Job well done!