At a glance

Producer

Talenti

Region

Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Grape variety

Sangiovese (Brunello clone)

Wine type

Red

Body

Full-bodied and Bold

Sweetness

Bone Dry

Typical price

$110-$165 USD per bottle (750ml), depending on market and provenance

Tasting profile

Deep garnet color. Aromas of black cherry, dried roses, leather, balsamic, sweet tobacco, forest floor. Palate is full-bodied, with harmonious red fruits, savory dried herbs, earthy undertones, fine tannic grip, and persistent minerality.

Evolution: Youthful primary cherry and violet notes have evolved into complex secondary flavors (leather, underbrush, spice). Tannins have softened, acidity remains vibrant.

At peak: Continues to develop tertiary aromas (truffle, cedar, cigar box) and silkier texture between 2023-2028, with lingering length and savory depth.

Structure

Acidity

Medium to high, characteristic of classic Brunello

Tannins

Firm, fine-grained, well integrated due to extended bottle age

Alcohol

14.0% ABV (typical vintage analysis)

Aging potential

Excellent for a Riserva – up to 20-25 years from vintage

Drinking window

Peak drinking

2023 to 2028

Optimal window

2019 to 2032

Current status

Drinking beautifully; entering maturity

Current condition

Mature structure, integrated tannins, fresh acidity; ideal for current drinking or further short- to mid-term aging

Talenti Riserva is crafted only in the best years from the estate's oldest vines (Pian di Conte vineyard), given extended aging in large Slavonian oak and bottle. 2012’s structure and balance offer a classic Brunello trajectory: first generous fruit, then evolving earthiness, and finally a bouquet of complex maturity. Now at peak but will hold and gradually soften.

Food pairing

Traditional Tuscan dishes (wild boar ragù, bistecca alla fiorentina), aged Pecorino, roasted game, mushroom risotto, hearty stews.

Serving

Decant

Yes (30 minutes) — The wine has firm tannins and benefits from aeration to enhance its aromatic profile and soften the mouthfeel, despite its age.

Sustainability

Sustainability score: 7/10

Estate largely transitioned to sustainable/organic viticulture after 2015. For 2012, minimal herbicides/pesticides, manual harvest, native yeast ferments, gravity-flow cellar, local oak for large casks, beginning phase-out of chemical inputs.

By 2012, Talenti was in transition to organic certification but still short of official status. Minimal intervention was already the norm, with high attention to soil and vine health and minimal chemical treatments. Local oak aging cuts transport; manual operations reduce fossil-fuel use. However, lack of full organic/biodynamic certification, absence of light-weight packaging or renewable energy use for this vintage, and the CO2 of global shipping limit the overall rating. Later vintages show improvement as estate completes certification and adopts more modern sustainability practices.