An epic wine from an epic vintage! The ‘1441’ is Tricerchi’s crown offering and only produced in top vintage. Made from 100% Sangiovese, the grapes are grown in a prime parcel of calcareous clay soil in the middle of the Vigna del Velo plot. Fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts and the maceration on the skins is prolonged for a total of about 60 days. After fermentation is complete, the wine is then aged for 36 months in large neutral oak barrels. This is an impressive, brawny Brunello and is clearly intended to age; you could certainly stash it away for 20 years or more. However, for you impatient types, it is drinking quite rich and complex right now, with a beguiling mix of white smoke, leather, and dried meats, alongside balsamic-tinged black cherry, and ripe red and black berry fruits. Salty minerals lend a savory note while nervy acidity push and pull acroos the palate. With appropriate decanting time it truly unfolds, lending a hint as to what a few years of cellaring may reveal.