Silvio Nardi, Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany, Italy) 2012

 Silvio Nardi, one of my favorite Brunello producers, consistently makes a stunning wine from their Manachiara vineyard, some of whose vines date back to the 1960s.  Located on the east side of Montalcino, the vineyard has a mixture of clay and sand in the soil, which helps account for the wine’s seemingly paradoxical combination of power and elegance.  The 2012 is both explosive and firm, not a touch overdone, a flaw found in some Brunello from that powerful vintage.  Dark earth-filled fruit flavors sneak up on you through the beautifully polished tannins.  Tightly wound at this stage, this long and sophisticated wine should evolve beautifully over the next five or so years.