This library bottle offers a deeply transparent, unadorned expression of northern Montalcino's cooler microclimate under the pioneering Altesino estate.

The 1996 growing season in Tuscany was famously problematic and erratic, defined by a cool summer and disruptive autumn downpours right before harvest. These weather constraints forced strict vineyard sorting and ultimately yielded lean, highly acidic, and structured Sangiovese wines rather than rich, voluptuous ones.

Presenting a fully evolved brick-to-garnet hue with a pale rim, the nose shifts away from primary fruit, leaning into delicate, mature tertiary notes of amaro, orange peel, and dried cranberries over a rustic bed of dusty soil and old leather.

On the palate, the texture has worn thin with time, driven by a sharp, high-toned acidity that dominates the remaining faded plum flavours. The once-robust tannins have completely melted away, resulting in an elegant but drying structure that tapers off into a brisk, austere finish.