Tornesi, Rosso da Tavola “Il Canto del Cucolo”

The Tornesi winery in Montalcino, Tuscany does one thing—Sangiovese—and does it very well. And they’ve done it for a very long time. So, when you encounter a modestly priced table wine from a heritage producer like this (many in Montalcino release gently priced “table wines” like “Il Canto del Cucolo”), you take it seriously. Farming just five hectares of organically farmed vineyards, Tornesi doesn’t just produce stellar Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino; this wine, from younger plantings in those same vineyards, is their secret weapon.Bright, brambly, and unoaked, this is not the kind of wine that gets 100 points from critics, but when it comes to authentic varietal character and terroir expression, you will not find better. In fact, if wines were rated based solely on the enjoyment they provided (versus the intricacies of their construction), Tornesi’s “Il Canto del Cucolo” would undoubtedly be a 100-pointer. If Rosso di Montalcino is the “baby” Brunello, then this 2019 is the “baby”